Here are three pieces of culture that have made me think about how I work, how I write, and how I ask questions.

1.      The universe of Amor Towles. I’ve gorged on Towles’ books this year (A Gentlemen in Moscow, Rules of Civility, The Lincoln Highway, and the collection of short stories in Table for Two). I’ve enjoyed each one. I’ve also enjoyed how each has subtle call backs to characters, places or events in other stories (not so subtle in the case of Evelyn Ross). A reminder that in real-life, your stories are connected.

2.      The breadth and depth of Song Exploder. One of the benefits of being late to a long-running series of content is that you arrive with a huge library to explore. Song Exploder is a podcast where musicians take apart their songs.  As of now there are 300+ episodes, from Air to Le Tigre, Fleetwood Mac to Franz Ferdinand. On long car journeys with the family, there’s something for everyone. I enjoyed the origin story of A-ha’s Take on Me.

3.      What is the Monarchy For? BBC three-parter with David Dimbleby asking the questions.  Dimbleby’s experience helps get him front of the best commentators; his age (and the fact he’s no longer angling for his next job) means he gets to put the questions in a blunter way than usual. Provocative Title + off-the-leash Journalistic Royalty = Fresh Take on Old Subject.