Looking for your next book, film, or podcast? Our Off the Shelf series features recommendations from our very own Countway staff! We’ll be adding new picks all summer long - check back often for fresh inspiration!
TV Show: How To with John Wilson
Recommended by: Lexie, Chunxiaoxue Lu, MA, Library Digital Technology Specialist
Why they liked it: "Hey, New York” — John Wilson uses his camera to record everything happening in New York City. At first, it all seems unrelated—but somehow, through his lens, everything becomes connected.
Everything is real, and every person’s story is fun. When we laugh at what unfolds in front of his camera, it feels like having dinner with your best friend just talking and laughing about the little things in everyday life. This show makes me laugh out loud, and the more I watch, the harder I laugh.
Where to find it: How To on HBO
Movie: Force Majeure/Forza Maggiore
Recommended by: Lexie, Chunxiaoxue Lu, MA, Library Digital Technology Specialist
Why they liked it: A Swedish family goes to the Alps for a vacation. While they are dining at a mountaintop restaurant, an avalanche suddenly strikes, breaking their peaceful moment. Tourists flee in panic, and the mother calls out for her husband to help protect their children, however, he runs away instead! Although the avalanche doesn't physically harm them, it creates a deep trust issue within the family.
The film explores human instinct versus family responsibility when faced with a sudden crisis. The script is well-structured, and the highlight for me is the use of Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "Summer" (L’estate) from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, which perfectly matches the mood of the movie.
Where to find it: Force Majeure on Pluto TV (or Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime)
Movie: Robot Dreams
Recommended by: Lexie, Chunxiaoxue Lu, MA, Library Digital Technology Specialist
Why they liked it: A lonely puppy meets a robot in a vast city, and they grow close, relying on and warming each other with their companionship. But one accident separates them, and from then on, they can only long for each other in their dreams. This movie connects deeply with anyone living in a big city or those who’ve been separated from friends or loved ones. It explores themes of time, connection, and the bonds between friends and lovers.
There is no dialogue throughout the entire film, which makes it easy to immerse yourself in the story and truly feel the tender, heartwarming moments between the puppy and the robot. It gently shows how to love yourself, how to love others, and how to carry that love forward in life. Life goes on, but memories are eternal.
Where to find it: Robot Dreams on Hulu (or Disney+)
TV Show: Adolescence
Recommended by: Lexie, Chunxiaoxue Lu, MA, Library Digital Technology Specialist
Why they liked it: A teenager is accused of murdering his schoolmates. His parents, therapist, and the detective on the case all want to uncover what and Why really happened. This limited series (only three episodes), released on Netflix this year, immediately caught my attention.
Unlike other murder documentaries or shows, this one focuses more on the people, the influence of social media, the relationship between the teenage suspect and the therapist, and how the parents' lives change after their child is accused of murder. Each character is well-developed, and the storyline is very clear. Also, all episodes are filmed in a one long shot, which adds to the intensity. Everyone in the show gives their best performance.
Where to find it: Adolescence on Netflix
Book: Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo
Recommended by: Corey Purcell, MLIS, Information Desk Coordinator
Why they liked it: This innovative memoir by former US Poet Laureate and citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Joy Harjo, effortlessly weaves together memory, poetry, and myth to tell the story of how Harjo found her way to poetry.
Equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting, Crazy Brave recounts stories of families coming together and falling apart, falling in and out of love, and finding oneself through art.
Where to find it: Crazy Brave in HOLLIS
Graphic Novel: Checked Out by Katie Fricas
Recommended by: Tré Quarles, MLIS, Research Public Services Librarian
Why they liked it: Checked Out by Katie Fricas is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel that follows Louise, a queer woman in her twenties working at a library in New York City, as she navigates life, love, and her artistic ambitions. The story blends witty humor, frustration, unrequited crushes, and a genuine affection for the chaotic world of public service.
While I was in Philadelphia for a conference, I attended a book launch at a local comic shop where Katie did a reading. I was struck by her whimsical cartoony art style and dry, observant humor. It made me want to read the whole book right away. If you have ever worked in a public-facing job or just love libraries, you will find a lot to connect with. The memoir is honest, funny, and surprisingly moving.
Where to find it: Checked Out on Amazon
TV Series: Building the Band
Recommended by: Tré Quarles, MLIS, Research Public Services Librarian
Why they liked it: Building the Band is a new Netflix reality competition where singers form groups based only on vocal talent and perceived chemistry, without ever seeing each other. It’s basically Love Is Blind meets The X Factor. I’ve always enjoyed singing shows, and so far this one has been a mostly fun and lighthearted watch.
Where to find it: Building the Band on Netflix
Book: The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Recommended by: Tré Quarles, Research Public Services Librarian
Why they liked it: The Magicians is often described as an adult Harry Potter, but it’s much more than that. When a group of smart, moody college students discover that magic is real and enroll at Brakebills, a secret school for magicians, they soon learn the magical world is far darker and more chaotic than they imagined. Eventually, they enter Fillory, a Narnia-like world from their favorite childhood books, only to find it is just as dangerous and unpredictable.
I first discovered the world of The Magicians through its SyFy TV adaptation. As a fan of fantasy, I appreciate how this book explores a more complex and often unsettling vision of magic. It deals with mental health, disillusionment, and the difficult transition into adulthood. It also asks what happens after you get what you have always wanted.
Where to find it: The Magicians on HOLLIS
Podcast: Root of Evil
Recommended by: MJ Grein, Administrative Operations Lead
Why they liked it: This podcast is dark, horrific and strangely healing. It’s based on the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia murder in Hollywood. There are 8 episodes and I was truly captivated by the story, the craziness and the aftermath / healing of this family. It’s a wild story, it’s not for the faint at heart. If you are into crime investigation stories, this one is for you!
Where to find it: Root of Evil on Spotify
Book: Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green
Recommended by: Charlotte Lellman, MS, Collections Services Archivist
Why they liked it: This short and straightforward book is a holistic look at tuberculosis in today's world. Green (most famous for his young adult fiction) explores everything from historical medical and social understandings of the disease to the geopolitics and economics that result in its ongoing devastation in some parts of the world. The through-line is the moving story of a young man in Sierra Leone who is fighting drug-resistant TB.
Where to find it: Everything is Tuberculosis in HOLLIS
Book: My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier
Recommended by: Charlotte Lellman, MS, Collections Services Archivist
Why they liked it: I recently read and enjoyed Du Maurier's best known work, Rebecca. This novel shares Rebecca's careful plotting and sense of foreboding and mystery, but the deep and confusing relationships between the main characters are even more emotionally intense.
Where to find it: My Cousin Rachel in HOLLIS
Book: The Usual Desire to Kill by Camilla Barnes
Recommended by: Charlotte Lellman, MS, Collections Services Archivist
Why they liked it: It's rare that I literally laugh out loud while reading, but Barnes's wry and observant novel about a pair of aging parents and their adult daughters made me do it.
Where to find it: The Usual Desire to Kill in HOLLIS