A slim, funny novel about internet-addled yuppies (self-inclusive), a great '00s heist thriller, and more

Roundup 04/21/2025

Greetings from Read Max HQ, and welcome to our weekly roundup column--late this week, with apologies, due to the N.Y.C. Department of Education’s ongoing efforts to intermittently deny me free childcare with “Spring Break” and so on--in which I pick out some worthwhile and often overlooked books, articles, movies, and music to recommend to paying subscribers. For this week’s round-up, I’ve got:

• A very funny (and somewhat uncomfortable) novel about millennial yuppies, taste, happiness, and the way the internet leaks into and shapes your offline life;

• a round-up of excellent articles, columns, and essays, about topics ranging from A.G.I. to weed paraphernalia to silica gel;

• a terrific and underrated ‘00s heist flick; and

• four tracks I’ve been enjoying lately.

If any of that sounds interesting--and if you want to support Read Max in its continuing mission of explaining the future to relatively normal people--please subscribe below. Subscribers get access to these weekly emails and to the comprehensive Read Max Master Lists of Good Movies to Watch and Good Books to Read--as well as preferred pricing on merchandise like the Read Max “EMAIL SUPPLY” caps. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you.

I love to hear from readers who want to recommend a cool book or movie (or whatever!) to me, or from readers who are looking for specific kinds of recommendations. Just leave a comment or drop me a line at maxread@gmail.com.

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Now, the roundup: