We asked some of the most bookish people we know to share what they’re enjoying these days, from the latest unputdownable novel to their current movie obsession. We’re excited to hear from Grant Griglak, Director of Consumer & Marketplace Insight at Penguin Random House! Read on to hear in his own words what he’s reading and recommending right now.
I’m a current New Yorker, who is planning a move back home to the Detroit area. My fiancé and I just bought a house — one we’ll be fixing up for quite awhile. I’ve spent the last nine years on the Upper West Side and have been enjoying all that Manhattan has to offer: amazing parks to relax in, wonderful cafes and restaurants to read in, and awesome bookshops to explore. When I’m not planning my move back to Michigan and pinning lots of things I can’t afford, I love to cook, do yoga, and force my friends to play Quiplash or Sushi Go.
I love TV as much as I love books, so my recent reading choices reflect that: books by chefs I devour on YouTube, stories that offer belly laughs even more satisfying than the series I’m binging, and romances that rival a blockbuster rom-com (with more queer representation than ever before).
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If you’re not up to speed on drag phenomena Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolichikova, then I honestly don’t know what to tell you. Run, don’t walk, to check out their book that is part self-help, part satire, and part glamor. Vogue wishes they could do what Trixie and Katya achieve. I already have their new book pre-ordered, and I’m excited for even more!
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While many in New York know her from her weekly Cabernet Cabaret at Club Cumming, and most now know her recent Netflix special, Catherine Cohen’s book of poems is actually laugh-out-loud funny. Nothing has helped provide a “you’re not alone” balm like her incisive commentary and unreal wit.
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I fell in love (get it?) with romance reads during the pandemic when my brain could only handle so much information and found that young adult romances are even better when you’re too lazy to take on a giant tome. They deliver the same serotonin boost that I get from watching Sex Ed or Never Have I Ever, but without the hangover of “I can’t believe I just binged that whole series.” Date Me, Bryson Keller gave me butterflies and helped me feel like a functioning human being with feelings again.
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A perfect rom-com that really lives up to its genre. If you want both romance (as in, actual swoon-worthy romance), AND comedy (as in, laugh-out-loud wit and pop culture references), this book hits both marks. I’m So (Not) Over You is somehow both really light-hearted and fun to read, but also actually explores themes like trying to be a real adult, navigating family dynamics, and the role friends play in our lives. I’m also excited for Kosoko Jackson’s second book, A Dash of Salt and Pepper, out in December.
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I love cooking, but I’m typically afraid to try a new recipe on my own, because I have a really fast-and-loose relationship with recipes, rules, and structure, generally. I have recently learned a little trick of manipulating my partner (who is very good at these things) to test recipes for me to see if they work. But with Eric Kim’s Korean American, I hardly need to (lovingly) play such games. Eric’s recipes are intuitive, easy, and so rewarding. Plus, everything tastes better with gojuchang.
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If you haven’t caught on to the theme, I love food as much as I love books. I recently devoured Michael Twitty’s (incredible) Masterclass on understanding your roots through food, so I was perfectly primed to soak up Black Food. This is part cookbook, part artifact of stories and essays, and part self-help. This book will leave you appreciating every morsel on your plate.
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What are you watching?
What am I not watching?! I’m loving Ziwe’s eponymous and iconic variety show, and all the interpersonal drama across the Real Housewives Cinematic Universe™. For movies, Everything Everywhere All At Once is simply the best film I’ve ever seen, and Fire Island (spiritually linked to Joel Kim Booster’s essay), made me smile from ear to ear.
What are you listening to?
For podcasts, it’s anything to scratch my funny bone. Las Culturistas (hosted by Matt Rogers & Bowen Yang) is essential as far as I’m concerned, Bitch Sesh (hosted by Casey Rose Wilson & Danielle Schneider) is the ultimate companion piece for any Bravoholic, and I cannot get enough Trixie & Katya, so I’m on board for The Bald and the Beautiful.
For music, the heavy-hitters on my Summer 2022 playlist are: “Big Energy” by Latto and Mariah Carey, “About Damn Time” by Lizzo, and “LA FAMA” by Rosalia (ft. The Weeknd).
What are you cooking?
I love everything Carla Lalli Music ever does, and I’m a convert of her “Brocco Tacos” (enhanced by Sohla El-Wayly). Justice for the “pressy-downy-thing!”
Thank you, Grant!
