Home > Life > Travel > The Monthly Hot List- October 2021

Tv & Film

Succession – Sky Atlantic and NOW
Succession – Sky Atlantic and NOW

Succession is back with season 3 on Monday 18th October and we can’t wait! Succession explores wealth, power and family with outstanding acting, sharp dialogue, black humour, and heaps of drama! We follow Logan Roy (a self-made billionaire who runs one of the biggest media companies in the world) and his vulture like children that circle him vying for a stake in the succession of the company. At the end of season 2, Logan was ambushed by his son Kendall, he now scrambles to secure familial, political, and financial alliances and the tensions escalate into a family civil war. Real life comparisons have been made to the Trump family and the Murdoch dynasty which makes it even more fascinating. The mind games, power plays and dodgy dealings are brilliant to watch!

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Maid – Netflix
Maid – Netflix

Maid is inspired by Stephanie Land’s memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive. It tells the story of 23-year-old Alex (played by Margaret Qualley) and her 2-year-old daughter Maddy and how they cope as they flee from an abusive relationship with Maddy’s father, Sean. Alex must put her life back together and start again from scratch – through sheer grit and determination. The series shows the reality of poverty and all the challenges that it brings. It’s shocking to see how difficult it is to access the help that is supposedly on offer for desperate women and their children – Alex must overcome so many hurdles before she can even start the journey back to stability for her and her daughter. The performances in Maid are superb and the detail, authenticity, and sensitivity with which the story is told are impressive.

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Books

(M)otherhood – Pragya Agarwal
(M)otherhood – Pragya Agarwal

Dr Pragya Agarwal is a behavioural and data scientist. She’s also a passionate campaigner for racial and gender equality, is a TED-talk speaker and has written for the Guardian, Forbes, the Huffington Post, and the BBC. (M)otherhood is a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of modern motherhood. The book is honest, powerful, and compelling in its arguments. “In a world where women have more choices than ever, society nevertheless continues to exert the stigma and pressures of less enlightened times when it comes to having children. We define women by whether they embrace or reject motherhood; whether they can give birth or not.” Pandora Sykes is a big fan of Agarwal and said this book was “…fascinating, fascinating, fascinating, and leaves you so fired up!”

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Early Morning Riser – Katherine Heiny
Early Morning Riser – Katherine Heiny

Early Morning Riser tells the story of the messiness of modern love. We meet Jane, who falls spectacularly in love with Duncan. The only problem with Duncan is that he has slept with nearly every woman in Boyne City, Michigan. His ex-girlfriends are absolutely everywhere! “Glorious. I love how it evokes the rhythm of life in all its joy and ordinariness and chaos. I loved the dialogue, the relationships. I love the one-liners, the humour, the gorgeous detail, the food, the innermost thoughts, and the love.” – Nina Stibbe

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Podcast

Mum’s the Word! The Parenting Podcast with Ashley James
Mum’s the Word! The Parenting Podcast with Ashley James

Ashley James is mummy to Alfie, a presenter, DJ, and a dating and empowerment coach. She is also hilarious, down to earth, and totally relatable as a new mum. Now, Ashely did say that she would never do her own parenting podcast, but she has and it’s brilliant! Each week she chats to celebrity friends, experts, and listeners to learn all about the world of parenting. Recent episodes have included chats with Dr Zoe Williams, Susie Amy and Ali Bastian. In her chat with Dr Zoe Williams, they discuss birthing plans, the importance of our pelvic floor and things that you wish you had heard during pregnancy.

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Fortunately…with Fi and Jane
Fortunately…with Fi and Jane

A new series of Fortunately…with Fi and Jane is airing now and it’s as popular as ever. Broadcasters Jane Garvey and Fi Glover are the co-hosts on this hit Radio 4 podcast. The podcast is funny, refreshing, and insightful. The hosts share musings on their lives and the world before being joined by a special guest. Recent guests have included London Hughes, Ian Wright, Richard Osman, and Laura Kuenssberg. Dolly Alderton said that Jane and Fi “make me so, so excited about getting older. Every time I listen to them I long to be their friend; eating chili peanuts in a well-kept garden, complaining about our teenagers and admiring the new shed.”

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Events

Black History Month 2021 - Honour, Remember, Inspire – Zari Gallery
Black History Month 2021 – Honour, Remember, Inspire – Zari Gallery

4th – 29thOctober 2021

October 2021 is Black History Month and there will be events up and down the country throughout the month – everything from art exhibitions, poetry recitals, comedy shows and talks. We’d recommend searching for Black History Month events in your nearest town or city as there are some fantastic events on. In London, the Zari Art Gallery is proudly presenting an exhibition featuring British and International Black Artists in celebration of Black History Month. The Zari team have carefully curated a number of talented artists each with their own unique story. It’s set to be a superb exhibition.

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Halloween in the City – Manchester
Halloween in the City – Manchester

30th-31st October 2021

Manchester is hosting Halloween in the City – one of the biggest Halloween celebrations in the UK. The city will be overrun with monsters as it prepares to welcome lots of fearsome (but friendly!) beasts to the city streets. There is a huge line-up of exciting new experiences and activities taking place over the Halloween weekend including a procession of roaming monsters, a monster carnival, top monster bands, and a monstrous photo trail across the city. There are lots of fun activities for children – they can discover fascinating facts about monsters, get close to them and experiment in The Monster Lab at Exchange Square. They can explore the spooky ruins of Dr Mancenstien’s Castle and Gardens in St Ann’s Square -where the gardens and family cemetery are home to dragons, crows, creepy groundskeepers, and man-eating plants! The event will also see the return of the city’s popular giant rooftop monsters created by artist Filthy Luker.

For specific times and updates of the events follow @HalloweenMcr on Twitter or find them on Facebook.
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