Best of 2024

It’s time for our favorite episode of the year. Hosts Kate Wolf, Medaya Ocher, and Eric Newman discuss their favorite books, movies, TV shows, music, scandals, and (new category!) memories of 2024.

By LARB Radio HourDecember 20, 2024

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It’s time for our favorite episode of the year. Hosts Kate Wolf, Medaya Ocher, and Eric Newman discuss their favorite books, movies, TV shows, music, scandals, and (new category!) memories of 2024.

LARB RADIO HOUR PICKS OF 2024

Books

In Memoriam, Alice Winn

On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy, Simon Critchley

This Strange Eventful History, Claire Messud

Amos & Boris, William Steig

A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy, Nathan Thrall

The Rebel’s Clinic: The Revolutionary Life of Frantz Fanon, Adam Shatz

I Heard Her Call My Name: A Memoir of Transition, Lucy Sante

Love Junkie, Robert Plunket

All Fours, Miranda July

Selected Amazon Reviews, Kevin Killian

Cut ’n’ Mix: Culture, Identity and Caribbean Music, Dick Hebdige

Classics: Wuthering Heights; The House of Mirth

Movies

Anora, directed by Sean Baker

Femme, directed by Sam H. Freeman & Ng Choon Ping

Longlegs, directed by Osgood Perkins

The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat

Janet Planet, directed by Annie Baker

Winner, directed by Susanna Fogel

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One, directed by William Greaves

Love Streams, directed by John Cassavetes

Eric’s Queer Films of Note: Love Lies Bleeding | Challengers

Medaya’s Rewatches: Moonstruck | 8 Mile

TV Shows 

John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s In LA

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills / Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Agatha All Along

Baby Reindeer

X-Men ’97

Feud: Capote vs. The Swans

Social Studies

Selling Sunset

Music

Charli XCX, Brat

Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other

Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

Larry Levan

Linda and Richard Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

Laura Marling, Patterns in Repeat

Cindy Lee, Diamond Jubilee

Scandals

Hawk Tuah Coin Fraud

Bennifer Breakup

Olivia Nuzzi & RFK Jr affair

Memory

Discovering the abundance of California Cudweed/Everlasting 

Motorcycle license

The brief, joyous prospect of spending a week in NYC without a smartphone