ALBUMS

THEN

1989—Ryan Adams

I love Taylor Swift’s 1989 album, but then I heard Ryan Adams’ reworking of her songs and found myself listening to the songs in new ways, discovering new love for songs I hadn’t liked quite so much before. His Springsteen-spin on “Welcome To New York” is the door through which we step into Adams’ world of love and loss through Swift’s lyrics. It’s an interpretative masterpiece. 

NOW

 

Prisoner—Ryan Adams

Ryan Adams is my alternative music boyfriend; he always shows up on my doorstep in the rain, and I always let him in. If it was just his tingles-up-my-spine singing voice that would be one thing, but his songwriting is so good and it’s only getting better. Check out the mega-ballad “Do You Still Love Me” from the new album and tell me I’m wrong. Dude is the real deal, and we should never break up with him.

BOOKS

THEN

 The Quiet American by Graham Greene

Anthony Bourdain worships Greene’s portrayal of ’50s Saigon, so much so that he devoted a whole episode of No Reservations to Greene’s writing. There’s few who delve into the languid beauty of his work that don’t come away unchanged. As I keep telling you whippersnappers: Classics are classic for a reason. 

NOW 

 In Farleigh Field: A Novel of World War II by Rhys Bowen

There’s spies and romance and historical intrigue in the new novel from master storyteller Rhys Bowen. Mentally cast your favorite attractive male British actor in the lead (oh hello, Richard Armitage…) and a striking and talented woman alongside (Claire Foy, why not), and let’s get this to Masterpiece Classic immediately. 

DVDs

THEN

 Labyrinth

There’s a few ways you can watch this—as a David Bowie fan, a year on from his sad passing wherein you marvel at his tights (ahem, I mean performance); or as a nostalgic grownup watching as your child-self who thrilled at the now-kinda-cheesy special effects and sing all the songs because you know them by heart; or just as a Jim Henson fan—because deep down, aren’t we all. 

NOW 

 Doctor Strange

Marvel’s Doctor Strange is a sumptuous visual and spiritual feast that, in my opinion, could delight even non-Marvel fans. There’s a lot less “superhero” goings-on and a lot more “mind over matter” to be had here. And Tilda Swinton is a delight. As a diehard Marvel fan and a devoted Benedict Cumberbatch fan, I give it two enlightened thumbs up. 

Article by Sharon Penny