End of year roundup of things that are 🔥

As 2024 comes to a close, here are some things I think you'll love as much as I did

Dec 24, 2024

“All Fours,” Miranda July: This irreverently sexy, tender, surprising, and deeply funny book about a woman approaching midlife and menopause was shortlisted for the 2024 National Book Award. Definitely do not listen to the audiobook around your kids.

“Good Material,” Dolly Alderton: This dryly hilarious novel follows protagonist Andy Dawson as he struggles to cope with the end of his relationship and along the way, explores all the ways men are just as devastated by relationship breakups as women.

“In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife,” Sebastian Junger: The author weaves together details about his near-death experience during surgery, his vision of an afterlife, and quantum physics. It’s a beautiful meditation on chance, death, physics, notions of God and the universe, and the natural order—or disorder—of things.

“Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark into a Flame and Come Alive at any Age,” Shannon Watts: Obviously, I had to add my own book! I wrote FIRED UP in 2024, which means I read it then, too :) Out in June of 2025, my book shares the formula for figuring out what lights you up and helps you create your own legacy, no matter how old (or young) you are. And I share the stories of dozens of women from all walks of life whose stories will inspire you to become a Firestarter. Preorder it now!

Albums 🎹

Tigers Blood, Waxahatchee: I’m not kidding when I say I listen to Tigers Blood at least once a day. Full of pop/country/indie earworms with sophisticated lyrics by someone who’s experienced a lot in life and come out the other side, Katie Crutchfield gets better with each album.

No One Gets Out Alive, Maggie Rose: This album’s country/Americana/soul/pop/rock vibe is a throwback to the singer-songwriters of Laurel Canyon in the 1970s. Rose, who sounds a lot like Linda Ronstadt, combines her powerhouse vocals with catchy hooks and rich arrangements.

What A Relief, Katie Gavin: Gavin, a member of the pop band Muna, came out with her debut solo effort this year, which is eminently listenable thanks to its sunny harmonies and soaring melodies. If you have a mother, listen to the song “The Baton” and try not to cry.

Songs 🎶

Right Back to It: My favorite song off of Tigers Blood is a slow, banjo-flecked ballad that reflects on the ebbs and flows of a relationship.

A Bar Song (Tipsy): A catchy, genre-bending hit that cleverly blends country and J-Kwon's "Tipsy" hook, it captures the carefree vibe of a late-night bar scene, making it a perfect party or Peloton anthem.

“Please Please Please,” Sabrina Carpenter: A country-tinged confessional that includes the iconic line, “Heartbreak is one thing, my ego’s another // I beg you, don’t embarrass me, motherf*cker.”

Movies 🎬

Anora: Anora, a sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of an oligarch. However, once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. A star turn for actress Mikey Madison. Now available for streaming.

Will & Harper: When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship and transition. It’s funny, touching and beautiful.

Wicked: The long-awaited big-screen version of the beloved musical (I was lucky enough to see the original cast on Broadway). This prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” is a spectacle of big, splashy production numbers featuring the deeply talented stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

Television 📺

Say Nothing: For anyone who’s concerned about armed vigilanteism, Say Nothing explores how violence begets violence and can radicalize people on all sides of an issue. This nine-part drama about the Troubles in Ireland, which jumps back and forth between decades, is gripping and unforgettable television.

New York: A Documentary: Ok it didn’t come out in 2024—in fact, it came out in 1999. But this seven-part, 15 hour television series, which explores New York City's rich history as the premier laboratory of modern life, was new to me. The documentary chronicles New York's beginnings, from its earliest days as a Dutch trading post to the 17th century construction of the Erie Canal to the Draft Riots to the Depression to the destruction of the World Trade Center towers (an additional episode made in the 2000s). Watch it on Hulu.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and Beverly Hills: Not everything has to be erudite to be entertaining! The silliness and pettiness of these two housewives franchises got me through a very difficult election year. From the “bridge and tunnel” burn to Meredith’s Audrey Hepburn bangs to the recommendation to use Kérastase Thermique to tame “high body count hair” to Dorit’s hysterical use of the c-word, I can’t quit these ladies.

Podcasts 🎙️

Bewildered: Authors and life coaches Martha Beck and Rowan Mangan explore the many ways that our culture pulls each of us away from our true nature. Their podcast teaches us ways to reinvent our world—from the inside out—and create a society that’s kinder, more equitable, and more ecologically sustainable than the one we’re living in right now. Martha and Ro are just as idealistic and brokenhearted, silly and deeply sincere, and bewildered as the rest of us.

Vibe Check: A weekly podcast where journalist Sam Sanders, writer and poet Saeed Jones, and Tony award-winning producer Zach Stafford make sense of what’s happening in news and culture—and how it all feels. They talk about everything from what’s happening on social media to what’s happening with Social Security. Vibe Check is your favorite group chat come to life.

Hit Parade: I love the discussions about what makes a hit song and the deep dives into the history of pop music, but I especially enjoyed this podcast’s two-part episode, “What’s 1984 Got to Do with It,” about the music from what was arguably the best year in pop history thanks to the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion and the emergence of metal and hip-hop.

Products 💄

Dior Addict Lip Glow: This is the best lipstick in the world. It blends with your lip color, hydrates your lips, and never gets on your teeth. I like “Pink” the best.

Jenni Kayne Pleated Skirt: It comes in five colors and I have all of them. Simply match your sweater or blouse or t-shirt with the skirt and, voila, it’s adult Garanimals.

Pilates tube socks: If you want young people to make fun of you, wear short socks. Because I crave acceptance, I started wearing these Flydo Pilates Grippy Socks with my leggings. I might be 54, but my feet are fire.

Any favorites of yours amongst this list? Let me know in the comments! And join me in this week’s Thursday thread to tell me about your 2024 favorites.