What We’re Listening To: Maeve’s February Playlist
By Maeve Oliver, Marketing Intern
As we slowly but surely emerge from the depths of winter, nothing has kept me cozier through the short days and long nights than a good story. Here’s what I’ve been listening to lately:
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
I’m a longtime fan of Ali Hazelwood, but Deep End was my first foray into listening on audio—and let me tell you, it had me deep-ly blushing (in the best way). What I love most about Hazelwood is that for the duration of her stories, I can step into the shoes of her brilliant and badass characters. No, I did not nearly fail Chem 101! I am Scarlett Vandermeer, Stanford student athlete and biology prodigy!
This steamy, splashy romance was a wonderful companion as I completed the exceedingly boring task of painting a hallway in my house. Watching paint dry? Lame. Watching paint dry while listening to Swedish love interest Lukas Blomqvist? Wildly entertaining!
From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough
I waited a while to listen to this audiobook. I knew that it would be emotional, but I had no idea how beautiful it would be. From Here to the Great Unknown is the memoir from Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough that offers a look into one of the most famous families in America.
Amidst the grief of losing her mother, Keough lovingly and intentionally took on the challenge of completing Presley’s memoir. She listened to her mother’s raw tape recordings and harnessed her complicated, intertwined feelings of grief and love to fill in the gaps. The result—an otherworldly conversation between mother and child—is like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
The audiobook is narrated by Riley Keough and Julia Roberts. If you loved the screen-adaptation of Daisy Jones and the Six, you’ll recognize Keough’s soft and strong voice. It’s a powerful listen.
Celebrity Memoir Book Club hosted by Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton
Now, not every title is as magically transcendent as From Here to the Great Unknown. So where certain ghost-written or nearly illegible celebrity memoirs are concerned, I typically opt for an episode of the Celebrity Memoir Book Club podcast instead. Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton make it easy to skip the early-aughts reality stars’ listicle-filled writing while still getting the gist of their memoirs. I laugh, I cry, I roll my eyes—it’s a fun time.
You’re Wrong About hosted by Sarah Marshall
The recipe for a perfect podcast episode is equal parts research and storytelling. This show executes a perfect bake, every time. Seldom am I left feeling anything less than gloriously informed and exceedingly curious after an episode of You’re Wrong About, hosted by Sarah Marshall.
I found the 12/12/24 episode ‘Cola Wars with Miles Klee’ to be utterly fascinating as it shed light on the history behind the battle of Coke vs. Pepsi. Did you know the story behind Fanta? No. No you did not. It’s wild.
A Complete Unknown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
I’ve been diving into the discography of American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan after a New Year’s showing of A Complete Unknown, the biopic starring Timothée Chalamet. Every song is a journey of its own, every album an epic. Dylan was even awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016.
The original motion picture soundtrack is a great homage to early Dylan and his 1960s peers, so it’s been on repeat in my household as I slowly but surely learn the rambling words. I’m also trying to learn the harmonica, so I’m a joy to live with as I work through brassy renditions of Happy Birthday.
