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View this email online This was a year dominated with world events, from discoveries at the cradle of civilization to the major global conflicts that are shaping our world today. This list highlights NPR's biggest international stories in 2023 — made possible thanks to support from readers and listeners like you. NPR has 16 international bureaus, meaning that journalists report firsthand. They deliver stories that go beyond the headlines — offering insights into the humanity caught in the crossfire and its ripple effect on the world at large. This level of reporting requires significant resources, commitment, and courage. We need your help maintaining this important work — especially from regions of turmoil and conflict. It’s your support that allows us to tell these stories and more. Donate Now Here are just a few of the ways your contribution will have a profound impact: Finding people affected most: Your support fuels our correspondents in providing human stories, not soundbites or talking points.  Protecting journalists: Your donation ensures that reporters and producers have the necessary equipment and proper safety measures in place. Amplifying critical stories to millions of people on-air and online, and more!  Any amount makes a difference. Whether it's $10 or $1,000, every dollar helps us keep people informed. By contributing, you're powering stories told with integrity. With your support, the NPR Network will continue to bring important stories to your community. Thank you for standing with the NPR Network and supporting our mission in an often uncertain world. With gratitude, Didrik Schanche NPR's Chief International Editor Donate Now This email was sent by: National Public Radio 1111 North Capitol Street NE Washington, DC, 20002, US   If you have any questions, please submit a help ticket here. Update Preferences  |  Privacy Policy

Plus: airport music, 'May December' and favorite books

View this email online by Linda Holmes Welcome! It was the week when The Bachelor made his final choice amid controversy. It was the week when the Oscars got earlier. And it was the week when we saw Furiosa. (Lots more at the news quiz.) Let's get to it. 'The Challenge' of the 'Squid Game' game show It is one thing to extend a successful television series in a way that drains its meaning and dilutes its impact. It is another to drown it in greed and to gleefully embrace what it diagnoses as economically and spiritually catastrophic. Squid Game: The Challenge is a reality game show based on the 2021 South Korean drama series. Netflix Squid Game, the South Korean drama series that was a sensation on Netflix in September 2021, is a work of despair. In it, hundreds of players who are deeply in debt are invited to participate in a secretive competition with an enormous cash prize for those who successfully complete a series of games. What they don't realize until the first game is underway is that as they are eliminated from each game, they will be murdered. The first episode, "Red Light Green Light," finds 456 people in an enormous open space playing the childhood game in which, if you are caught moving after you're told to freeze, you are out. But in this case, when you are out, you are shot dead by enormous guns embedded in the walls. Shot in the head, the neck, the back. As the group realizes what's happening, many panic and run for the exit, but of course, this violates the rules as well, so they are massacred as they try to escape. They end as a pile of dead bodies against the doors, their identical green sweatsuits drenched in blood. Those who survive, owing to their desperate circumstances, eventually play on. How inhuman it is to conduct this game, to have to play it, and especially to watch it, those are the things that give the scene and the series such weight. At some point, some person, some fool, somewhere, in some office, flush with the success of the series both critically and commercially, decided it would be entertaining to create a game show -- a real game show -- that imitated this scenario as closely as possible without actually murdering anyone. And so you have Squid Game: The Challenge. It brings 456 real people to a vast dormitory designed to look as much as possible like the one in the show. And it begins, too, with the game of "Red Light Green Light." It would have been easy to design The Challenge such that if you are caught moving, your number is called and you are simply out of the game. Had they stopped there, this effort would be empty and pointless, but perhaps only that. Instead, when a player is caught moving, a squib inside their shirt explodes, splattering their chest and neck with black fluid, and they fall over and play dead. It is meant to look as much like a true massacre by gunfire as they could manage, although someone seems to have drawn the line at fake red blood in a meaningless gesture toward, one can only assume, some simulacrum of good taste. The original Squid Game indicts, above all, anyone who would find such a competition entertaining. The villains are the people who watch, who plan, and who enjoy this spectacle. So what makes The Challenge so creatively misbegotten is that it suggests at best (or worst?) a cynical effort to exploit the most superficial elements of Squid Game while entirely missing its point, and at worst (or best?) an ignorant failure to understand what the show is even supposed to be about. These games are not particularly exciting, in and of themselves. The murders are the story; the brutality is the one thing that makes it compelling. And the only reason the fictional game has been designed by its evil creators is that they want to watch people scramble to save their very lives. The deaths are not a decoration; they are the fabric of the thing. And so what makes The Challenge so bad is that outside of the simulated killings and their shock value, it's dull. There are too many contestants to get to know and no central characters to grab onto like the ones in Squid Game. What makes The Challenge feel wrong is that a competition where the first episode is a whimsical game of "mass shooting and panic," complete with squibs, complete with splatter, should never have made it past the very first meeting. That nobody said no, that nobody said "there's an excellent chance that we will be dropping these episodes in the aftermath of a real mass shooting, and simulating one for entertainment will seem like an extraordinary violation of bare-bones decency" is an indictment of everyone involved. Someone -- everyone -- has lost the plot. (Not to mention what some contestants claim were, in real life, apparently atrocious conditions.) In a media environment in which creative people manage, against all odds, to do work that is daring and interesting -- like Squid Game was -- it is brutal to see the same company that drove that work's success turn around and treat it so carelessly. It's not the first time Netflix has tried to have its cake and eat it too; recent seasons of Black Mirror that aired on Netflix have skewered formats and practices straight out of the service's own playbook, to the point where a Netflix clone called Streamberry was one of the primary villains of the sixth season. But at least in that one, as far as we know, nobody got hurt. Newsletter continues after sponsor message We Recommend I watched all of the six-episode Swedish drama series A Nearly Normal Family this week. It's about a young woman who experiences a traumatic event and then another, and how they are (or maybe aren't) intertwined. It's part mystery, unfolding in multiple timelines -- admittedly a format I've grown weary of -- and part examination of how pain will eventually require healing. I haven't been doing a lot of holiday movie coverage this year, in part because I've been a little underwhelmed by the ones I've watched. (Hallmark, at least, seems to be ahead of the "nomance" notion that went around this fall, focusing a lot on family stories and friend stories and much less on romantic comedy, which is always what I want.) But I did find one that I really enjoyed, starring Hallmark stalwart Lacey Chabert. Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up is a sequel to, obviously, Haul Out the Holly, and it finds her character (who, let's face it, is always the same character) now happily attached to her boyfriend as the two navigate a highly competitive Christmas decorating season in their neighborhood that's interrupted by the arrival of a couple of cable TV decorating superstars. It's not all that romantic, but I found the dialogue quite snappy and genuinely funny -- and this one features the always great Stephen Tobolowsky as one of the neighbors. A thing to flag that's coming Monday: HBO's miniseries Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage & Reckoning is about the Charles Stuart case. Stuart was later convicted of shooting his wife in October 1989, but initially, he claimed that they had been carjacked by a Black man (the Stuarts were white). That led to intrusive searches and stops of many Black men in Boston, all in search of a criminal who never existed. The series wisely begins with an examination of segregation and racism in Boston, which helps make it more than simply a look back at a sensational murder case. Listen to the Podcast Sponsor-Free Support your favorite pop culture junkies AND listen without sponsor interruptions with a subscription to Pop Culture Happy Hour+! Learn more and sign up at plus.npr.org/happy. Learn More What We Did This Week Ariana DeBose as Asha in Wish. Disney Stephen and Aisha (Aisha is our Disney person) chatted about the animated film Wish. We again shared our Die Hard conversation in which Stephen, Glen, Chris Klimek and I talked about the film's legacy. (And yes, it's a Christmas movie.) Andrew Limbong and I covered some of our favorite books of the year as we highlighted the Staff Picks category from NPR's Books We Love. In the kind of roundup I just love, Stephen and Aisha came up with three songs for when your flight is delayed. And I had a blast with Aisha, Bob Mondello and Bedatri D. Choudhury trying to excavate all the messy corners of Todd Haynes' May December. What's Making Us Happy Every week on the show, we talk about some other things out in the world that have been giving us joy lately. Here they are: Bedatri D. Choudhury: You've Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally Bob Mondello: The Dick Van Dyke Show Aisha Harris: "Christmas Dirtbag" Linda Holmes: This excerpt from Welcome to the O.C. Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour+. Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free episodes. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: pchh@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Books, Daily News and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Pop Culture Happy Hour emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy

Get back into the habit of reading 📚

Plus: 5 questions to ask before you get married

View this email online First Name Today’s newsletter is brought to you by Life Kit producer Clare Marie Schneider I like to keep a list of the books I read each year. It’s a special way to mark the passage of time. But when I look back at my list at the end of most years, I wish it was longer. In 2023, I was hoping to read at least 12 books, but so far I’ve only read nine. (One of them was a novella though, so maybe it’s closer to eight and half.)  If you’re like me and wish that you read more, Juanita Giles, co-founder of the Virginia Children’s Book Festival, recommends keeping books everywhere you go. "I have an upstairs book and a downstairs book and a car book and a bathroom book and a bathtub book," says Giles. With books in every room and on every surface, Giles says you’ll inevitably pick one of them up and start reading.  It also helps to find a book that you like. And you’re in luck, because last week, NPR launched its annual interactive reading guide: Books We Love. Scroll through to find 375+ new titles hand-picked by trusted critics and NPR staff, including your editors at Life Kit.  NPR Books We Love NPR Tips to help you get into the habit of reading 🌅 Read in the morning. NPR's Lynn Neary has been covering books for over a decade. She likes reading in the morning because she says she’s less likely to fall asleep while reading, and it’s a nice way to start her day. "I love to lie in bed on weekend mornings and read. It's just one of my favorite things to do and I get a lot of reading done."  🐢 Take it slow. There’s this idea that “if you’re not a speed reader then you’re slow -- and slow is associated with not being smart,” says Manju Banerjee, a professor at Landmark College, a school in Vermont for students with learning disabilities. So take your time and try not to compare yourself to other readers. 📱 Ditch the book if you find yourself scrolling through Instagram. Traci Thomas, the creator and host of the podcast The Stacks, says there are too many books in the world to read one you don’t like. “If you're falling asleep, checking your phone or rolling your eyes as you're reading the sentence, that might be a good sign that you don’t like what you’re reading,” she says.  👭 Start a book club. It’s a great way to keep up a reading habit because it holds you accountable to other people and creates a deadline for you to finish your book, says Alisha Ramos, founder of Downtime, a lifestyle newsletter. If you want to start a book club, be consistent. "Stick to a recurring schedule so that every month it's super predictable [for members to know] when book clubs are happening," she says. That way, people know what to expect and can plan accordingly.   Newsletter continues after sponsor message 🌟Book picks from Life Kit🌟 Here's what Life Kit staffers recommended for this year's Books We Love.  Meghan Keane, supervising editor  Tom Lake Ann Patchett In Tom Lake, a mother uses the long days of pandemic lockdown to tell her adult daughters about her showmance with an actor (who goes on to be famous) back in her summer-stock days. There’s drama; there’s summer love; there are questions about how a moment can impact your life’s trajectory. It will make younger readers question what path is in front of them and make older readers feel appreciative of the road they’ve already taken. This novel is why Ann Patchett is a master. Clare Marie Schneider, producer The Guest Emma Cline A romp of epic proportions – Alex, our adrift protagonist, swims and eats her way through the private pools and stainless steel kitchens of the Hamptons’ elite. Broke and without a home to return to, she extends her summer stay by weaseling her way into the lives of various seasonal residents. After puzzling through all the actually difficult parts of infiltrating the world, her demise is her own once she’s in. Alex’s self-destructive impulses land her in increasingly anxiety-inducing, thriller-like scenarios and interactions that become harder to unravel as she leaves a trail of mess with every exit. She simply must scratch the itch – steal the watch, kiss the boy, jump in the pool. Malaka Gharib, digital editor This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America Navied Mahdavian In Navied Mahdavian’s debut graphic memoir, he recounts his experience moving from San Francisco to rural Idaho with his wife in 2016. In addition to adapting to country life and preparing to start a family, Mahdavian, who is Iranian American, examines his relationship with his race and identity while living in a red state in the wake of Donald Trump’s election. With light and airy illustrations, Mahdavian tackles these complex themes with humor and wit. My Picture Diary Fujiwara Maki, translated by Ryan Holmberg Comics publisher Drawn & Quarterly has just reprinted My Picture Diary, a 1981 collection of simple illustrations and diary entries by the late Japanese artist Fujiwara Maki. Her drawings capture daily life with her young son, Shosuke, and her husband, acclaimed manga author Tsuge Yoshiharu. Although she bears the brunt of the housework and child rearing – with little help from her moody husband – the ever-resilient Maki finds joy where she can. In one scene, she throws a cookie party for Shosuke on a cold winter’s day; in another, she takes herself out to a movie. It’s a charming and at times heartbreaking read. 🎁 We want to hear from you: Your best gift-giving tips 🎁  Are you great at giving holiday presents? Share your wisdom with Life Kit. How do you come up with meaningful, budget friendly and personal gift ideas for your loved ones? Email us at lifekit@npr.org with the subject line "Gift advice" and we may feature your response on NPR.org.  Listen Sponsor-Free Support public media while getting expert advice on health, finance, relationships and more with Life Kit+. You'll get sponsor-free listening AND that warm fuzzy feeling that comes with making a difference. You can also check out loads of other NPR+ podcasts with benefits at plus.npr.org. Explore Life Kit+ This week on Life Kit Malte Mueller/Getty Images/fStop 5 questions you should ask your partner before getting married. It takes more than love to sustain a marriage. A marriage social scientist goes over five big questions to answer about your relationship and your values before getting hitched. Read the story. How to donate to a charity with purpose and intention. Not sure which cause to support or how much to give? Kevin Scally of Charity Navigator has some advice to help you make the right decisions. Read the story and listen to the episode. Ready to cold plunge? We dive into the science to see if it's worth it. When it comes to the health benefits of cold water dips, the hype is ahead of the science. NPR talked to researchers about what's true, what's not, and the latest on how to get the most out of it. Read the story and listen to the episode. Giving thanks is good for you. Here's how to make it a habit. Being thankful doesn't have to happen just once a year. Here are two meaningful ways to show gratitude all year long, a practice that can improve your mental and physical health. Read the story. Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy