Vox Quick Hits

A 68-year-old, retired grandmother wants to know: "Are there any reads about senior women having creative, life-altering adventures that don’t heavily involve matriarchal family stuff? "

It's a tough request considering the publishing industry hasn't demonstrated much interest in these types of stories. But Constance did some research, phoned a friend for help (her mom) and has three books to recommend.

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If you’re looking for a book to read, email [email protected] for a recommendation. Be sure to use the subject line “Ask A Book Critic.” And remember, the more specific you can be about the kind of book you’re looking for, the better.

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There’s no denying the housing market has been a little wild lately — home prices are soaring in many parts of the country, and the competition among buyers has people going to some pretty extreme lengths. The last time we saw such a frenzy in the housing market, about 15 years ago, it ended in a crash. Now, it’s hard not to wonder whether the US economy is headed in the same direction, and whether skyrocketing prices will soon come back down to earth. Vox policy reporter Jerusalem Demsas explains whether America is seeing yet another housing bubble, and how to solve the problem.

Learn More: 

Read Jerusalem’s story on housing here. 

And Emily wrote about the crazy prices of lumber. We made an episode about it, too! 

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Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde.

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Whether or not you grew up watching the hit TV teen drama, Dawson’s Creek, you are probably familiar with a gif of the titular Dawson, played by James Van Der Beek, sobbing all over the internet. Why did this become a thing and what was the backstory behind it’s existence in the first place? Vox’s Constance Grady interviewed showrunners, editors, and TV critics to find the answers.

Read the full story: https://www.vox.com/culture/22364676/dawson-crying-gif-secret-history-dawsons-creek-legend

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In the Heights, the new movie musical based on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway debut, seems poised to be the movie of the summer. It’s an electric, joyful celebration of the Latino community in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood — and it will make you want to dance. If you haven’t been back to the theaters yet, this is the movie to go see. 

Read Alissa’s review of In the Heights here.

Episode by: 

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The former president was kicked off social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in the wake of the Capitol riots, and it’s not clear when — or if — they’re going to let him back on. There’s been buzz about Trump starting his own platform, but he’s had a hard time getting it off the ground thus far: The blog he launched in May folded in less than a month. In a way, Trump canceled himself. Shirin Ghaffary, a senior reporter at Recode, discusses life on the internet without the man who used to be one of its most ferocious voices

Learn More: 

Recode’s Sara Morrison wrote about Trump shutting down his blog

And Recode’s Rebecca Heilweil wrote about Facebook’s recent decision on Trump

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Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde.

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Starting to skateboard in your 30s and beyond, the trend stories tell us, signals some sort of desperation. You’re either going through a midlife crisis or trying to hide one if you think that awkwardly rolling around on a wooden toy, risking a hospital visit the entire time, is a good idea. Steve Rousseau considered all of this, and then decided not to worry about it. He bought a skateboard at the very start of the pandemic, and it’s the best money he’s ever spent. 

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After a pandemic year of brands telling us “we’re all in this together” and corporations calling their workers “heroes,” companies are ready to move on. Many businesses cut hazard pay long ago, even though the risks of Covid-19 remain, and firms are pushing their workers to get back to the office. Vox senior correspondent Anna North explores the way the pandemic changed the way we work, and whether we can — and should — go back.

Learn more: 

Read Anna’s story on bosses moving past the pandemic here: https://www.vox.com/22455058/jobs-restaurants-office-employers-covid-pandemic-work

Find Emily’s story on states cutting off unemployment insurance early here: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2021/6/3/22465160/states-ending-unemployment-labor-shortage-texasv

Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde.

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Despite TikTok’s promise of being the world’s biggest algorithmically-driven talent show, you may have noticed that the app rewards...the same kinds of people. Rebecca Jennings explains why the TikToc to Hollywood pipelines doesn’t always produce the most interesting or unique stars.

Read the full story: 

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2021/5/18/22440937/tiktok-addison-rae-bella-poarch-build-a-bitch-charli-damelio-mediocrity

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Drive-in movie theaters have made a comeback — and today, we pretend we’re at one. From horror to weird cult classics, we pick our dream drive-in flicks. Grab some popcorn and a giant soda and join us!

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Looking for a new show or movie? Let us help! No request is too vague or too specific. We’ll pair you with something perfect. Email our producer [email protected]. We read every email!

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What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

Episode by:

Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw)

Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan)

Engineer: Paul Mounsey

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A lot of people felt overworked before the pandemic. Now, well, you can imagine. American work culture has become increasingly untenable for many people. It's basically impossible to keep up with the demands of work and the rest of life, which is especially true for parents, even when we’re not living through a pandemic. The past year has exposed America’s problem with work culture, and pushed working parents to their limits. Is there a way we can fix this? Vox’s Anna North is here to explain.

Learn More:

Read Anna’s story about work culture and pandemic parenting here.

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Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde.

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