Big Sur, Poor Things, Barrister Wigs, Daily Art, Modern Gothic & More: Endnotes 08 March

Every Friday, we celebrate the weekend — and all the reading and relaxing and daydreaming time ahead — with Melissa's favorite book- and travel-related links of the week. Why work when you can read fun stuff?!

This post is part of our Endnotes series.

That’s the Bixby Bridge up there, found along a rugged stretch of California coast known as Big Sur. With the Pacific Ocean crashing on the shoreline and the Santa Lucia mountains running along its eastern Border, Big Sur — the area between Carmel and San Simeon — is one of the most beautiful spots in the world. You can take an epic drive along Route 1, part of the Pacific Coast Highway (enjoy the stunning scenery); there are plenty of places for camping, beach strolls, and wilderness hiking. The Bixby Bridge is sort of Big Sur’s answer to the Golden Gate, and it’s got the pop culture cred to prove it. In 2010, it was commemorated in a US Express Mail stamp, and photos of it are built into the Apple Big Sur operating system. It’s also been featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto V, the classic Disney movie Escape to Witch Mountain, and in the opening credits of the series Big Little Lies. Want to visit yourself? Here’s the ultimate Big Sur travel guide.

• The movie Poor Things was one of the best movies I’ve seen in ages, and I’m very eager to read the book on which it’s based. This WaPo article (gift link) makes a good argument for reading the novel.

• Related: Your Literary Guide to the 2024 Oscars.

• This is also an excellent read: How to Sound Smart Talking About the 2024 Oscars (Even if You Didn’t Watch Everything). I particularly enjoyed the recommended ‘hot takes to spice things up.’

• Have you always wondered Why do barristers and judges wear wigs?

• These vintage signs from Madrid are so cool. (This throwback episode of The Library of Lost Time about hand-painted signs is a good one, too.)

• LitHub has thoughtfully compiled the literary film and TV you need to stream in March. A Gentleman in Moscow is coming, and that is very exciting.

• The 2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist has been announced! Sixteen novels by women authors!

• Breaking news about a new musical adaptation of Wuthering Heights.

• I recently subscribed to the free newsletter Random Daily Art. It delivers just what it promises: a remarkable piece of art in your inbox every day. A little burst of joy.

• Also joyous: 12 Cheeky Buildings Shaped Like Animals. What’s not to love about a giant duck?!

• This was a must-click for me: 7 Modern Gothics Featuring an Intersectional Feminist Perspective. Who can resist the siren call of du Maurier’s My Cousin Rachel?

• News you can use: Which baked mac and cheese recipe provides pure comfort? I think this is the one for me.

New Episode of The Library of Lost Time

In each mini-podcast episode, we discuss two books at the top of our TBR, then share a fun book- or travel-related distraction. Get all the episodes and books galore here.

In this episode, we get excited about two books: Piglet by Lottie Hazell and Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness by Alastair Humphreys. Then Dave tells us about the awesome Stanfords bookshop. [transcript]

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/StrongSense and get on your way to being your best self.

Links

• Piglet by Lottie Hazell

• Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness by Alastair Humphreys

Distraction of the Week: Stanfords Travel Bookshop

• Stanfords Map and Travel Bookshop

• Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2024

• Wikipedia: Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards

Wishing you the best armchair travel.

Top image courtesy of Zetong Li/Unsplash.