I can’t imagine going through a day without reading or watching something. I love doing both because they give me new ideas and emotions. This year, I decided to focus more on reading and watching things that would not only help me enjoy my free time but also make me think about different topics.
Every two weeks, I talk about the books I’ve read and the things I’ve watched on my podcast (in Turkish). I’ve noticed that many people take my recommendations seriously, buy the books, or watch the things I mention. They even thank me for the suggestions, which makes me really happy. I put in extra effort to find interesting books, and I try to be very careful before recommending anything. So, when people value my recommendations, it shows that my efforts are worth it.
This year, I also decided to write more on my blog. Writing about my top three books, TV shows, and movies seems like a great idea. Since I read and watch a lot, I thought it would make sense to do this every quarter. So, here’s the first post in this series.
Books
Debt
Last year, I read The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber, and it quickly became one of my all-time favorites. It was the second book I read by him, and I realized that I really enjoy his writing style and the topics he covers. This year, I decided to read another of his popular books, Debt: The First 5,000 Years. Just like the first, it didn’t disappoint me.
David Graeber was an anthropologist, and in Debt, he explores when and why we started using money, how long we’ve had a credit system, and whether we’ve ever actually used a barter system—meaning, did we ever exchange goods for goods? The book really opened my eyes, especially about debt. Graeber doesn’t just explain how the credit system developed thousands of years ago, but also how it still drives capitalism today.
Some people might find this book harder to read because Graeber often presents a hypothesis and then takes you back thousands of years to explain how tribes in places like Mexico, India, or Mesopotamia used credit systems. For example, he explains how the Hittites kept records of people’s debts. It was a fascinating book for me, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand how our economy works.
Keep it Simple: The Early Design Years of Apple
I really enjoy reading books about Apple, especially those that focus on the company’s early days. Most of them have stories or anecdotes about Steve Jobs. Keep it Simple is one of these books. It was written by Hartmut Esslinger, a designer who worked with Steve Jobs on many of Apple’s most iconic products. It was tough to find this book since it’s no longer printed, so I had to pay a high price to buy it from a second-hand seller.
I can honestly say the book was worth the price. Even though it doesn’t have a lot of text, it’s filled with pictures of prototypes and sketches Esslinger created. It’s easy to recognize the design style in these early products, as Esslinger played a big role in shaping Apple’s design language. The book also shows how Steve Jobs faced resistance from Apple’s CEO John Sculley and other managers, even though Steve co-founded the company. There are also some cool stories, like how Steve brought original Beatles records to copy for himself (and Esslinger, who was also a fan) so they could listen to them in the highest quality possible.
If you come across this book at a second-hand shop or garage sale, you should definitely grab it!
Immune
If you’re familiar with the popular YouTube channel Kurzgesagt, you might have heard about this book. It’s my favorite science channel, where they take complex academic papers and break them down in an easy-to-understand way, paired with amazing visuals.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the founder of the channel, Philipp Dettmer, wrote a book called Immune. I was really interested in learning more about how my body defends itself, so I pre-ordered the book. I also wanted to support the channel since I’ve been a fan for years. During that time, I couldn’t find much time to read, but when I was looking for something different, I decided to pick up this book.
The book is probably one of the best biology books I’ve ever read. It explains what happens step by step when your body fights off a bacterial infection, with amazing visuals that make it easy to understand. The book also covers what happens when you get a virus, how cancer develops, why a strong immune system isn’t always a good thing, and why we have fewer healthy bacteria in our gut today. The chapters are short, usually no more than 5 pages, and written in simple language, so it’s never boring.
I believe everyone should read this book to better understand their body. I highly recommend it.
TV Shows
Severance - Season 2
After a 3-year break, Severance is back with a new season. If you’re not familiar with it, Severance is a TV show about office workers who have a surgery to separate their work life from their personal life. In the first season, the show introduces the world and explains life from two perspectives: the “innie” (the work version of themselves) and the “outie” (their personal life). It raises a lot of questions about the company they work for, their mysterious job, and those adorable baby goats. The season ends with a cliffhanger.
In season 2, you get some answers to your questions, but the world-building continues, and you learn more about the characters and their motivations. The show does this with stunning visuals, thanks to an amazing cinematographer, great locations, strong writing, and top-notch acting from the cast.
For me, Severance quickly became one of my favorite shows for a few reasons. The story is interesting and has a sci-fi element. There are legendary actors like Christopher Walken, and it’s a treat to watch them. From an artistic standpoint, the visuals are amazing—the colors, the products (like Dieter Rams designs), and the locations all stand out. The show also makes you think about things you might not have considered before, and it has a satirical take on corporate jobs that I can relate to from my own experience working in big companies.
Severance is one of the best TV shows on Apple TV+ right now. It’s already become a cult favorite, and you’ll see plenty of memes online. I highly recommend watching it—I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!
Dune: Prophecy - Season 1
After watching Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movie, I quickly became a fan of the Dune universe. I started reading Frank Herbert’s books, and so far, I’ve finished the first two and really enjoyed them. Then, when Dune: Part Two was released, it became one of the best movies I’ve seen in the last decade. I wanted to dive deeper into the Dune world, and that’s when HBO announced the TV show, Dune: Prophecy.
The show focuses on the powerful group of women called the Bene Gesserit, who play a huge role in shaping the Dune universe. The story takes place 10,000 years before Paul Atreides, the protagonist in the Dune movie. So, it’s not based on Frank Herbert’s books, but on those written by his son, Brian Herbert. If you enjoyed the Dune movies mainly for the action and fights, this show might not be for you. Even though I loved the movies, I realized after reading the books that the Dune universe isn’t just about action and battles—it’s more about politics. The show is perfect for those who enjoy seeing the power games, manipulations, and intrigues behind the scenes. There aren’t many fight scenes, but you’ll see a lot of strategic moves and mind games. The sci-fi elements, acting, and locations were all amazing, with the emperor’s palace being my favorite.
From that perspective, I really enjoyed the show and am looking forward to the second season. One downside, though, is that HBO isn’t available in Germany, so I had to watch it on a streaming service called WOW. I have to say, it’s probably the worst streaming service I’ve ever used, and it’s really hard to cancel your subscription. I really wish HBO would enter the German market. Another annoying thing was that the show was only available in 1080p, and you had to pay extra to watch in that quality—unlike Apple TV+, where you get 4K without extra charges.
The Penguin - Season 1
After watching Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy, I didn’t find much to get excited about in the DC universe, especially when it came to Batman. The first Joker movie was great, but Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a letdown, and I didn’t even watch it. Later, Warner Bros. decided to reboot the Batman series with The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves. This version was darker, focused more on crime-solving, and showed more of Batman’s flaws. I really enjoyed the movie. Then, HBO announced The Penguin TV series, which is set in the same universe as The Batman movie. In this show, you see how a man who started as a driver for a gangster’s daughter rises to become one of the biggest criminals in Gotham.
It’s hard to recognize him due to the incredible makeup, but Colin Farrell does an amazing job. His performance is so good that you start to feel sympathy for a criminal. You can see his ambition, how easily he lies to save himself, and the way he walks (which shows why he’s called “The Penguin”). The story is also really engaging, especially his relationship with his mom and how every time it seems like he’s done for, he somehow escapes. I ended up binge-watching some episodes. Even if you’re not into the DC universe, I highly recommend this show—you don’t need to know anything about the DC world to enjoy it.
Movies
These days, it’s hard to find great movies. It feels like Hollywood keeps repeating the same stories, mostly rebooting old ones or just making superhero movies (like The Batman). I needed something different, so after a friend’s recommendation, I subscribed to MUBI. It’s a platform where you can watch movies that you won’t typically find in cinemas because they either wouldn’t attract big audiences or were released decades ago. MUBI focuses on films with incredible stories, often seen at film festivals, and you get movies from all around the world, not just the US.
So far, I’ve watched 16 movies in March alone, and I really feel like subscribing to MUBI was the right choice. The movies I’ll mention here are all from MUBI, but I should note that they only have movies available for a limited time. So, by the time you read this post, some of the films might no longer be available, though sometimes they return. This is great because it keeps things fresh and gives you the chance to discover new movies all the time.
I should also mention MUBI’s other subscription option called MUBI GO. For a little extra, you get one cinema ticket each week for a movie they choose that’s currently playing. So far, I’ve watched two movies at different cinemas in Hamburg I’ve never been to. I really like this feature because it gives me more reasons to go out and supports the smaller cinemas in my city. If you live in Germany, the US, the UK, or Ireland, I highly recommend MUBI GO over the regular subscription. For just a €5 difference, you get four cinema tickets.
Perfect Days
How interesting could a movie about a public toilet cleaner in Japan be? Well, after watching Perfect Days, you’ll realize it can be quite fascinating. The film shows the life of a toilet cleaner and how he spends his days. I really enjoyed this movie because it highlights how you can find beauty in the world without needing to look far. Life can be simple and fulfilling—whether it’s doing your best at work, reading before bed, enjoying nature, listening to music, or eating a nice meal at your favorite restaurant. If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed by all the noise in life, this movie might remind you that enjoying life doesn’t have to be complicated.
The Fall
I didn’t realize Lee Pace was in The Fall until I saw how young he looked. He became one of my favorite actors after his performance in the TV series Halt and Catch Fire. I also enjoyed him in Foundation, but I couldn’t continue watching that show since I had read the books it was based on.
The Fall is an interesting movie to watch. The locations chosen for the film are amazing, and I’m glad they restored it in 4K, since it was originally released in 2008. That’s also why Pace looks so young—he was only 27 at the time. In the movie, Pace plays a stuntman trying to convince a young girl to help him get morphine after his accident by telling her a made-up story. The acting from the child was adorable, and the story was quite entertaining. I think Pace is perfect for playing an asshole character.
Decision to Leave
When I think about the movies I’ve watched, there aren’t many from East Asia, so Decision to Leave was the perfect film to introduce me to more movies from that region, which I’ve explored more since. The film is about a detective who falls in love with a suspect in a crime. Throughout the movie, you get a glimpse of the streets and nature of Busan, how Koreans prepare and enjoy their food, how stylish they look in their outfits, and how they express their emotions. After watching it, I can understand why people become obsessed with Korean culture. The main reason I liked the movie, though, was the way the director chose to tell the story—it was really interesting. Also, the detective using his smartwatch to take notes was a unique touch.
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When I started writing this post, I didn’t expect it to be this long. Of course, I read and watch way more than what I mentioned here, but I only picked my top three. Let me know what you think of my recommendations, and if there’s a book, movie, or TV show you think I might enjoy. I’ll see you in the next highlight post at the end of June.
