Book 

‘The Spellman Files’ by Lisa Lutz (2007) 

“The Spellman Files” focuses on Izzy Spellman, a private investigator, working for her family’s business who loves any opportunity to get into everyone’s business, even if she has to take slightly illegal routes to do so. Of course, with a family full of P.I.s (with the exception of her perfect lawyer brother, David), the whole family also loves getting into everyone’s business. After growing tired of a lifetime of zero privacy, she tries to get out of the family business but is faced with one last case. Izzy is, above all else, snarky — making for a hilarious first-person narrator. She has a history of reckless drinking and horrendous romantic endeavors. Her family’s far from perfect, with her uncle constantly disappearing on “lost weekends” and her younger teen sister loving surveillance just a little too much. “The Spellman Files” makes for a laugh-out-loud read, with parts that’ll still tug right at your heartstrings. 

Music 

‘Better Oblivion Community Center’ by Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst (2019) 

This album features indie artists Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst, and is a mix of indie rock, indie-folk and alternative. The album goes back and forth between upbeat sing-a-longs like ‘Dylan Thomas’ and more reflective pieces like ‘Didn’t Know What I Was in For.’ The most powerful strength of the album is the lyrics which frequently comment on both society and the fakeness of human interactions and inner-self struggles. Each song has a different sound to it, but Bridgers and Obsert connect them in a masterful way to make a concise and emotionally powerful album. The two have also released a single together called ‘Little Trouble’ and a 44 second single called “Symposium Message.”

Movie 

‘Booksmart’ directed by Olivia Wilde (2019) 

Best friends Amy and Molly have spent all of high school focusing on academics … and only academics. For the two girls, being book-smart has meant missing out on classic high school experiences and they decide there’s no time like the present and set out to enjoy themselves at a party and break some rules before graduation. As the two navigate their first party, they also find themselves in tricky romantic situations and have to learn how to master their nerves (sometimes more successfully than others). This coming-of-age comedy also points out inaccurate sexist stereotypes and has LGBTQ+ representation and can be watched for free on Hulu. 

Television 

‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna (2015-2019) 

This romantic musical dramedy was created, directed and written by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna, with Bloom starring as the main character Rebecca Bunch. Rebecca is a successful lawyer in New York who abandons her seemingly perfect life after randomly running into a former summer camp boyfriend to move to California to pursue love. The show twists the usual usage of the sexist phrase “crazy ex-girlfriend” and follows Rebecca through her highs and lows. It also shines a spotlight on mental health and tackles gender stereotypes. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is a fun, upbeat show, complete with hilarious musical numbers and allows for a good laugh while still maintaining its focus on larger issues.