EXTENDED SALE! A political-thriller fantasy adventure in Blitz-era London, a cool Hong Kong y2k action comedy, and more
Roundup 12/01/2025
Greetings from Read Max HQ, and welcome to our weekly roundup column, 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 favorite author’s new fantasy adventure, set among stockbrokers, television broadcasters, and fascists in Blitz-era London;
essays, articles, columns, and posts about child liberation, adversarial poetry, journalistic scammers, acid house, and more;
a stylish, funny 90s-ish action comedy about contract killers and the Hong Kong movie industry; and
four tracks I’ve been listening to a lot.
Even better: We’re extending the weekend Thanksgiving sale by one day--today, December 1! If you subscribe today you’ll get 20 percent off. (And don’t forget that gift subscriptions are included, in case you’re looking for a present for a particularly unfortunate friend or relative.)
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.
Finally, please note that I may receive a small commission if you purchase books via links in this email.
Now, the roundup:
