As we flip the calendar to the next month, it also signals the time to pick out a new book, podcast, or movie. Whether you’re looking to dive into a historic fiction novel on the Cold War or reconnect with your love of musical theater, these are the new releases you should take note of this month.
PODCAST
We Should Talk About That
Based in Alexandria, hosts and writers Jessica Buchanan and Jessica Kidwell have kicked off season three of their podcast, where they unpack the touchy subjects nobody wants to discuss, but should—everything from grief to body image to middle age and beyond.
BOOK
Renegades: Born in the USA by Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen
The former POTUS and The Boss have been friends for over a decade, even recording a recent podcast together. This October 26 release offers a look at their relationship, origin stories, and much more through personal photos, recordings, and archives.
MOVIE
Dear Evan Hansen
Musical lovers, rejoice! The long-awaited film adaptation of the Broadway hit finally premiered in late September. Catch Justice High School grad Julianne Moore as the titular character’s mom, Heidi.
BOOK
Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews
With spooky season in full swing, curl up with this murder-mystery riff on Shakespeare from a Reston author. As Meg Langslow gets ready for a summer production of Macbeth, a filmmaker documenting the goings-on is found dead—and his footage, which embarrassed just about everyone, has vanished. This whodunit is the 29th entry in a New York Times best-selling series.
BOOK
Walls by L.M. Elliot
Written by a NoVA journalist, this historical fiction find transports readers to 1961 Berlin. Two cousins caught on opposite sides of the Cold War argue over politics and bond over music—until the Berlin Wall suddenly goes up in August, changing their lives forever. The novel got a starred review in Publishers Weekly, a good omen that it’s a page-turner.
This story originally ran in our October issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.