"It Made Me More Resilient And Made Life Seem Less Dire" – 11 Books That Changed People's Perspective On Life
Sony Pictures Releasing
1. When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi
Vintage
"It gave me the courage to love despite the fear of losing."
– Late-Elderberry5021
About the book: This life-affirming book chronicles the life of Paul Kalanithi, from being medical student, questioning how to live a meaningful life, to neurosurgeon, to becoming a father, and to being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He discusses what it's like to face your own morality, and the relationship between doctor and patient, from someone who was both.
2. The Courage To Be Disliked – Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi
Allen & Unwin
"We have more control over our lives than we realise."
– CountryAromatic
About the book: This book, framed as a conversation between and their student, is a mindset-changing book that discusses the freedom of self-validation and how to achieve it. Including boundary-setting and fighting the urge to please others, this book reveals how lasting peace happiness can be something generated individually.
3. Parasite Rex – Carl Zimmer
Simon & Schuster Ltd
"A fascinatingly gross book about parasites. There's so little we know about them. Every living thing functions as its own little world. And even some parasites have parasites. It freaks me out and I can't stop thinking about it."
– CityRhymez
About the book: This book is a deep dive into the minuscule, marvellous, and sometimes mortifying world of parasites. We discover how they operate, survive, and travel, and the major impact they hold over the world around us.
4. A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson
Crown Publishing Group (NY)
"It's a statistical anomaly that we're even here, and we are such a small part of the history of the universe that it made me realise so many little things are really insignificant in the grand scheme of things."
– redog92
About the book: This is an engaging, fun, and informative scientific look back through history that teaches us how we know things as much as what we know. This book covers a whole lot, from the Big Bang, all the way through the formation of civilisation and scientific discovery itself.
5. Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut
"It was helpful for me as a teenager, right in the midst of that adolescent angst. It was a comfort, a widening of perspective. It made me more resilient and made life seem less dire, the weight of pressure to escape my circumstances seemed lighter and the future less loaded."
– Junimo-Crossing
About the book: This American classic anti-war novel follows the life of Billy Pilgrim, who draftee who is caught up in the firebombing of Dresden. Slaughterhouse Five combines historical and science fiction to recount what Vonnegut himself experienced as a prisoner of war.
6. Turtles All the Way Down – John Green
Penguin
"This book has changed my life, because I don't think people consider mental illness in the correct way; they may not be intentionally disrespectful, but I feel that many are simply just misunderstanding. Turtles represents how people should perceive those that think differently than others in a more accurate manner, in this case OCD. And as someone who was recently diagnosed with this exact disorder, the book has really opened up my mind to the reality of mental illness. It helps when the author also has OCD."
– Nerdfighter333
About the books: Turtles All the Way Down follows Azra Holmes, as she and her best friend Daisy endeavour to solve disappearance of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett. The story is about their pursuit, their friendship, and how Azra is attempting to life and relationships whilst managing the spiral of her own thoughts.
7. Stoner – John Williams
Vintage Classics
"It really put into perspective that even what seems to be a mundane life can still make a story worth telling."
– Smooth_Solid_6345
About the book: This delicately sad novel tells the story of William Stoner, a professor who's life is marred by a series of setbacks and disappointments in both his professional and personal life. What comes across is Stoner's quiet perseverance in the face of his continuous challenges.
8. Return to the Brain of Eden – Tony Wright
Inner Traditions
"I think about it every day. It is now embedded in the way I see the world."
– saltedhumanity
About the book: This book takes us, and specifically our brains, back to a time before hierarchical societies, and suggests that our cognitive functions were more peaceful and fundamentally different when humans lived more harmoniously with nature.
9. The Creative Act: A Way of Being – Rick Rubin
Canongate Books
"Rick Rubin's book on creativity is outstanding. As a life long artist, so much of this work resonated with me. Also, it is very well written."
– JeffCrossSF
About the book: This is an inspection of creativity itself, Rubin sees creativity as its own force, existing in everyone and affecting the way we interact with the world around us. It suggests leaning into our creative, vulnerable, and instinctual processes.
10. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari – Robin Sharma
Harper Thorsons
"I wouldn't say it changed my life. It does make me think of some things in life differently. I highly recommend it."
– ryrhino00
About the book: This book tells the story of Julian Mantle, who, after a life-altering incident, sets out of an mission to find enlightenment. His journey takes him to India, and teaches him lessons of balance, inner-peace, and finding purpose in his life.
11. The Road – Cormac McCarthy
Picador
"The stark portrayal of survival and the bond between father and son made me appreciate the little things in life and the importance of human connection."
– darklightedge
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New York Times
7 hours ago
- New York Times
Canceling ‘The Late Show' Is Bad News for Late-Night TV, not for Stephen Colbert
Getting canceled may end up being the best thing that ever happened to Stephen Colbert. The same cannot be said for its impact on late night television. Consider that Conan O'Brien turned into a folk hero after NBC took away his time slot and that David Letterman hit the height of his popularity after he didn't get the job as host of 'The Tonight Show.' Until last week, Colbert, host of 'The Late Show,' was the ratings leader of an art form in decline. Then CBS, citing economic issues, announced that his program would go off the air next May, news that came at a time when its corporate parent, Paramount, needs the government's approval for a merger with the Skydance company. Now Colbert, one of the most prominent critics of President Trump, seems to many like a comedic martyr. For the next 10 months, his show will have a spotlight in a way it never has before. He will not only have a chance to continue to make fun of the president, but he also will be setting himself up for his next act. Marrying a pugilistic comedic streak with courtly manners, Colbert became the finest conversationalist of the current hosts and his political monologues helped him become a ratings leader. He respected the history and conventions of late-night television, perhaps to a fault. But you also got the sense that 'The Late Show' wasn't always the perfect showcase for his myriad talents. His quick, improv-honed wit and intellectual depth could feel hamstrung by the show's short segments. And sometimes when he got on a good riff or dug into an area of major interest (Tolkien, faith, the history of comedy), you wondered if it would fit better on a podcast. Before taking the job, Colbert developed an elite reputation in comedy circles as a Second City performer, a comedy writer and a correspondent on 'The Daily Show.' But mostly he was known for 'The Colbert Report,' an inspired and singular reinvention of the late-night form whose greatness has already been overshadowed by his later work. Satirizing a blowhard conservative pundit through entire episodes, he somehow managed to lead guests nimbly into arguments, making jokes and serious points at the same time. He conveyed a clear point of view while often saying the opposite. Improvising multiple layers of meaning, he pulled off one of the great comedic feats of this century. There was an impressive degree of difficulty to that show that exceeds all the other current network late-night shows — and it's why, right before he took the job as the host of 'The Late Show,' I wrote a column worrying about what would be lost with this new, more mainstream position. Something was, and while his current, more conventional role is less virtuosic, he succeeded in this transition. DURING A 'LATE SHOW' MONOLOGUE last week, Colbert described Paramount's $16 million payment to settle Trump's lawsuit over the editing of a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris as a 'big, fat bribe.' In that moment, the host belonged to a venerable history of late-night hosts biting the hand that feeds them. But the cancellation three days later made one wonder about a related late-night tradition: network bosses' taking abuse in stride. Rick Ludwin, longtime head of late-night programming at NBC, once told me that insults from hosts like David Letterman, who regularly called executives 'pinheads' and 'weasels,' were great for business. 'The audience loves it. They wish they could say it to their own bosses,' he said, adding, 'Executives come and go but these franchises roll on.' Not anymore. Late-night television is not finished. In fact, you could say we are reverting to the era before the early '90s when NBC dominated and there were occasionally network alternatives. The loss of 'The Late Show' is not the death knell, but it is a death knell. The other late-night network hosts Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel each have their strengths, but they weren't comic supernovas the way Colbert was when he took the job. They don't define the sensibilities of young viewers and future comedians the way Letterman or O'Brien did. And the success of the current crop of hosts — and some of their most interesting work — is built for an online audience. If video killed the radio star, who did in the network late-night superstar? The internet is the primary suspect, increasing competition, chipping away at advertising dollars and transforming the time at which we watch these shows, making the term 'late night' itself a misnomer. The growing politicization of nightly talk shows, starting with Jon Stewart on 'The Daily Show' on Comedy Central, played a part, balkanizing the audience and crowding out some comedic ambition. But if there's an autopsy of late-night television, Paramount's suspiciously timed decision deserves some attention. Announcing the cancellation, the CBS President George Cheeks argued that it was 'a purely financial decision.' The current debate over whether Colbert's cancellation was the result of politics or the struggling economics of the show misses the point. It can be (and probably is) both. OF COURSE, MONEY MATTERS, but so does the climate in which it's allocated. Late night used to be, among other things, a prestige business. The hosts were some of the key faces of the network. On top of profits, the shows generated press attention, in-house promotion and buzz. Now media bosses seem more willing to cut a check for millions of dollars to make a political problem go away rather than spend that money to keep a late-night show. In trying to take control of the narrative, sources inside CBS have said that 'The Late Show' lost $40 million last year, which happens to be the same amount Jeff Bezos' Amazon is reportedly paying for a Melania Trump documentary. Just as news organizations depend on trust, entertainment companies rely on credibility. Comedians should (and must) make fun of the powerful. It's part of the job. And they need producers and executives to support them, financially and otherwise. What young comedian would now feel entirely comfortable satirizing the current administration on CBS? It's worth recalling that Letterman's comic attacks on network executives in the mid-1980s proliferated because of a merger, when General Electric bought NBC. Letterman was not just appealing to viewers' annoyance with their bosses; he was also making a point about the dangers of corporate consolidation. He was revolted that people in the business of selling toasters and lightbulbs thought they understood broadcasting. This issue has only become more urgent as tech titans have taken over the news media and Hollywood. Even if you think politics played no role, canceling this franchise now seems like the move of someone who doesn't understand or care about late-night comedy. — just as the '60 Minutes' settlement seems like the decision of someone far too cavalier about the importance of an independent press. These moves don't just threaten to chill speech. They hasten the demise of network TV. Many people found solace in watching Colbert poke fun at the news every night. That audience will probably go elsewhere. It might be to Fallon on NBC or more likely Kimmel on ABC, but an increasing number of viewers will flock to YouTube or a podcast. When they seek out these platforms, I would not be surprised if they eventually find a new version of Stephen Colbert there.
Fox News
9 hours ago
- Fox News
Democrats fawn over Stephen Colbert for holding 'truth to power' after CBS cancels show
Top Democrats fawned over late-night host Stephen Colbert after news broke that his long-running late-night program would be canceled in 2026. "Thank you Stephen Colbert for your willingness to speak truth to power. Staying far from timid. And never bending the knee to a wannabe king," House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote on X. CBS announced on Thursday that the network will cancel "The Late Show" in 2026, insisting it's a "financial decision" and has nothing to do with a looming ownership change. Gov. Tim Walz, former Vice President Kamala Harris' 2024 running mate, also praised Colbert for telling "truth to power." Several Democrats posted photos alongside Colbert, either on the show or in public. "Stephen Colbert is the best in the business. He always told truth to power and pulled no punches. We need more of that, not less," Walz wrote. CBS said it was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," adding, "It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount." Failed Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams also applauded Colbert on social media, posting photos from her several appearances on the show. "If you refuse to see what is happening, the cancellation of the Colbert show should open your eyes. I want to explain to you what a censorship state looks like - where a corrupt government gives favors to media that suppresses criticism of the regime," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called Colbert an "extraordinary talent," and argued the cancellation of his show was not a coincidence, because the liberal late-night host had slammed Paramount's decision to settle with Trump. "CBS's billionaire owners pay Trump $16 million to settle a bogus lawsuit while trying to sell the network to Skydance. Stephen Colbert, an extraordinary talent and the most popular late night host, slams the deal. Days later, he's fired. Do I think this is a coincidence? NO," the progressive senator wrote. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., both argued the public deserved to know if his show was canceled for "political reasons." "The Late Show," which Colbert took over from David Letterman in 2015, leaned into liberal politics in the Trump era and had become a major platform for Democratic politicians. Last month, Colbert welcomed New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani before the socialist hopeful clinched the Democratic nomination. Schiff, who was Colbert's Thursday night guest, reacted on X, "If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer' red carpet reunites Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar and more
Iconic '90s stars have called — and we're hooked. Twenty-eight years after the 1997 slasher 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' hit theaters, the cast of the sequel stepped out for its premiere at LA's United Theater on Broadway on Monday. Along with new faces, including Madelyn Cline, Lola Tung, Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Chase Sui Wonders, the crowds got a blast from the past. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. — who starred in the original project together — turned the premiere into date night. Prinze Jr., 49, reprises his role as Ray Bronson in the sequel. Gellar, 48, played Helen Shivers, who died in the OG movie. The original Kevin Williamson-written film followed a group of four friends who accidentally kill a man. One year later, they're stalked by a hook-wielding killer. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ryan Phillippe rounded out the cast. Phillippe's character, Barry William Cox, was also murdered. The sequel, 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer,' was released in 1998. According to Sony Pictures, the 2025 movie follows five friends who 'inadvertently cause a deadly car accident' before they 'cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences.' However, 'a year later, their past comes back to haunt them and they're forced to confront a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did last summer…and is hell-bent on revenge. As one by one the friends are stalked by a killer, they discover this has happened before, and they turn to two survivors of the legendary Southport Massacre of 1997 for help.' Despite not being in the project, Gellar still came out to support her husband of 23 years. She donned a strapless, Oscar de la Renta butterfly mini dress and matched the carpet with a blue and orange color scheme. The 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' star accessorized with an orange leather clutch, orange pumps, and kept her long, blonde hair down. Prinze coordinated with his other half, sporting a navy blue linen suit and loafers. In October 1997, the pair walked the carpet for the original horror movie separately at the GCC Galaxy Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. Gellar and Prinze first met on the set of 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' but didn't start dating until 2000. 'History repeating itself! Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. at the I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER premiere in 1997 and again in 2025,' Gellar's friend, Evan Ross Katz, wrote on Instagram beneath a side-by-side shot from both carpets. Jennifer Love Hewitt, who stars as Julie James in the slasher franchise, also stunned on the red carpet. The actress, 46, wore a Rachel Gilbert black dress embellished with jewels and matching closed-toe heels. Unlike her brunette character, the scream queen rocked ginger-red hair for the big night. She joins Prinze Jr. onscreen for the new film. Gellar had another nostalgic run-in on Monday night. The 'Ringer' actress posed with her 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' co-star, Seth Green. Their reunion comes five months after Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy's little sister Dawn Summers, died at age 39. Gellar is currently in production for the reboot of the hit mystical drama series. In May, the 'Cruel Intentions' alum announced that Ryan Kiera Armstrong will play the new slayer. The show is set to be the next chapter in the Buffyverse. Gellar, meanwhile, spoke out in October about not returning to the 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' franchise. She simply told People at the time, 'I am dead.' 'My best friend [Jennifer Kaytin Robinson] is directing it, so we joke that I have an unofficial job, which is I am continuity,' Gellar explained. 'So I'm always the one telling her, 'Well, that would happen, or that wouldn't happen with those characters,' so I do have kind of an unofficial job title.' Earlier this month, Prinze Jr. weighed in on reuniting with Hewitt on the project. 'Whatever a high school union feels like, that's what it felt like,' he expressed to People. 'You have no idea what's changed, what's the same. You're excited to show what you think you're better at. You hope they notice it. It was all those things.' Due to the tight filming schedule, 'there just had to be trust that each of us cared enough to put the work in,' Prinze Jr. continued. 'I didn't have any reason not to trust her. I know how much this character means to her. She puts everything into this girl and always has since the first movie.' Hewitt, for her part, had some reservations about re-joining the cast. 'I'll be super honest, I had total anxiety for 48 hours before [filming] because I was like, 'Can I do this? Am I going to pull this off?' It's a lot of pressure,' she told People in April. Despite her fear, the 'Holiday Junkie' vet was grateful to be asked back. 'As a female in Hollywood, in your 40s, sometimes you can feel forgotten about,' Hewitt confessed, noting that she felt 'really touched emotionally and honored that Sony would have me back, that the franchise would have me back, that Jen wanted me back, and that the audience wanted me back. It really felt like an honor. Stepping into her shoes again was really fun.' She added that the current cast is 'phenomenal.' 'It's for them to make it their own,' Hewitt gushed. 'And for me to stand by like a proud mom and say, 'It's yours now, take it and run and enjoy.'' 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' hits theaters on Friday. Solve the daily Crossword
