AJB Recommends - Amy Julia Becker

A horizontal banner with five book covers side by side. The titles shown are: This Is Happiness by Niall Williams, The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, Think Again by Adam Grant, and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. The covers include a landscape with a tree, bold colorful text, a lit match with water where the flame should be, and a blue background with white cloud shapes. On the far left are black-and-white photos of a person holding a phone that partially covers their face.

December 2025 | Things Worth Your Time

December 17, 2025

Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month

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A collage featuring five panels. From left to right: abstract artwork with floating platforms and red dots; a photo of three smiling women from The Lucky Few Podcast wearing light-colored outfits against a beige background; the book cover of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley showing a globe surrounded by famous landmarks; an illustration of two overlapping hands, one pink and one beige, on a blue background; and a close-up of an open red book under striped shadows.

November 2025 | Things Worth Your Time

November 25, 2025

Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month

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October 2025 | Things Worth Your Time

October 31, 2025

Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month

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A collage of five images side by side. From left to right: (1) A painting-style image of figures with outstretched arms in earthy reds, blues, and browns. (2) A cartoon drawing of a roller coaster with red flags at the top. (3) A cartoon rocket with a round window pointed toward a yellow moon in a starry purple sky. (4) The cover of the book Orbital: A Novel by Samantha Harvey, featuring colorful planets and cosmic imagery. (5) The cover of the book The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story by Daniel Nayeri, showing two figures carrying large backpacks walking toward an orange sky with airplanes overhead. (6) A poster for the Apple TV+ show Still starring Owen Wilson, showing Wilson in a blue cap and shirt standing outdoors with a camper in the background.

September 2025 | Things Worth Your Time

September 22, 2025

Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month

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August 2025 | Things Worth Your Time

August 14, 2025

Books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to… ESSAYS ESSAY: “Canada

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A row of five covers displayed side by side. From left to right: A stylized illustration of abstract human figures interacting with oversized, open books against colorful backgrounds. How to Read a Book by Monica Wood, featuring a cozy bookshop storefront with a cat, table, and chairs outside. Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, showing a close-up, colorful painted portrait of a woman’s face. Life, Animated by Ron Suskind, with a serene blue background and silhouettes of two people swinging above the title. How to Slow Down and be a Peaceful Presence When Tensions are High, a Christian leadership guide, with minimalist design featuring circular cutouts of nature imagery.

July 2025 | Things Worth Your Time

July 13, 2025

Books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to… BOOKS BOOK: The Hospitality

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June 2025 | Things Worth Your Time

June 18, 2025

Books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to… FILMS/MOVIES/DOCUMENTARIES TEDxAtlanta: Cash,

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April 2025 Favorites

April 30, 2025

Favorite books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I enjoyed in the month of April, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to… Books

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This image is a collage featuring five different media recommendations. From left to right: 1. The Russell Moore Show – A podcast with a blue background and black-and-white text. 2. The Lucky Few Podcast – A podcast featuring an image of three women smiling and engaged in conversation. 3. Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks – A memoir displayed as a book cover, with a hand holding the book. The cover features a desert-like landscape. 4. The Good Hard Story Podcast with Katherine Wolf – A podcast with a soft, neutral-toned design featuring Katherine Wolf 5. Ezra – A film starring Bobby Cannavale, Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne, Vera Farmiga, and Whoopi Goldberg.

March 2025 Favorites

March 27, 2025

Favorite books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I enjoyed in the month of March, plus recent political news that I’m paying attention to… Books:

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a collage of five book covers. From left to right: A book cover featuring a blonde woman in a light-colored blazer sitting on a couch. The title and author are partially obscured. "One of Us Is Lying" by Karen M. McManus. The cover has a red title with a handwritten style over images of four students with their faces obscured. "The Long Call" by Ann Cleeves. A blue-toned cover with an image of a coastal landscape, featuring a house and birds flying overhead. A black-and-white historical photograph of people with disabilities protesting, one holding a sign that says, "We shall overcome." A bright orange cover with large white and red text reading "Good Faith," accompanied by the authors’ names, Curtis and another partially hidden name.

February 2025 Favorites

February 28, 2025

Favorite books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I enjoyed in the month of February… Books: The Long Call by Ann Cleeves. I don’t typically

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collage of covers of books, podcasts and shows mentioned in post

January 2025 Favorites

January 31, 2025

BOOKS: Heretics Anonymous Marilee and I have been enjoying Heretics Anonymous on car rides together. It’s the story of a group of high school students

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book and movie covers of favorites mentioned in the post

Questions for the New Year {Plus my 2024 favorites}

December 31, 2024

I love this pause in the year, these days between Christmas and New Year’s, between shopping and going back to school. It’s one of the

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December Favorites {2024}

December 31, 2024

Here are books, podcasts, movies, shows, and essays that I enjoyed this December: 1. Episode 287: Julia Watts Belser – A Jewish Perspective on Disability. Here’s a

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Promotional card for a podcast episode featuring Robin Wall Kimmerer titled 'The Antidote to Not-Enoughness,' dated November 20, 2024. The tagline reads: 'Radical strategies for the scarcity mindset.' The card includes a circular portrait of the speaker, set against a vibrant blue background with text announcing the 'Ten Percent Happier Podcast Episodes

November Favorites {2024}

November 30, 2024

Recent favorites—a podcast and two essays—that I enjoyed in November 2024: 1. The Antidote To Not-Enoughness | Robin Wall Kimmerer. I could listen to snippets of

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October Favorites {2024}

October 31, 2024

Books, essays, podcasts, films, and more that have prompted me to stop and reflect during the month of October. 1. Special Hope Network. We have been

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laptop with the Plough essay Simple Ways to Combat Smartphone addiction on the screen

September Favorites {2024}

September 22, 2024

Favorites from September 2024: Cultures of Growth by Mary C. Murphy. For anyone interested in how the idea of “fixed” and “growth” mindsets affect communities

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