Top of the weekend to you all. Five Great Reads typically explores the full range of Guardian offerings, but this week I’m stuck in the Lifestyle lane. From travel (via music) to parenting to end-of-year fatigue, there should be something for everyone. Let’s hit the road.
1. Road-tripping on Kraftwerk’s Autobahn
My ultimate rock’n’roll road trip was through the Palm Springs desert, in search of the road sign Kyuss immortalised on the cover of Welcome To Sky Valley. For Tim Jonze, it was hitting the speed limit-free highways of Germany to mark 50 years since Kraftwerk released Autobahn.
Jonze arrived in their home town of Düsseldorf expecting the electronic music pioneers to be celebrated a la Liverpool and the Beatles. It’s fair to say he has a deeper appreciation of Kraftwerk’s influence than the locals he encountered.
A travel feature with a difference: Jonze doesn’t just supply words and pictures but field recordings – including dashcam video with the appropriate soundtrack.
How long will it take to read: Nine minutes.
2. School camp photos and the ‘datafication’ of childhood
This week in “life was far simpler back in the day”, Celina Ribeiro writes of sending her daughter off for her first two-day camp. The school asked Ribeiro to download an app before the camp began. The first batch of photos arrived two hours later – and the pings did not stop until her daughter returned.
It’s another example of what has been dubbed the “datafication” of childhood. One expert says of the photos generated by daycare centres to keep parents informed: “It has, in some ways, become a runaway train.”
The kicker: Stick around for the ending, when mother and daughter are robbed of a moment.
How long will it take to read: Three minutes.
3. ‘My scars aren’t a finish line’
Top surgery is a gender-affirming procedure that involves the removal of breast tissue to get a flatter or masculinised chest. For some trans and non-binary people, it can be one of the last steps towards feeling comfortable in their own skins. For others, it’s another stop on a long journey.
Three Americans share the stories behind achieving their “dream” chest – and the quite different relationships they have with their scars.
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“None of my friends supported the tattoo idea. But after I did it, I got comments online saying: ‘This is such a power move.’” – Ezra Michel, pictured above, had his scars tattooed about two years after his second operation (the first was botched).
How long will it take to read: Four minutes.
4. The changing face of masculinity (via the Gladiator films)
The titular hero of Ridley Scott’s 2000 opus was brooding and determinedly unfunny. In the 2024 sequel, Paul Mescal’s Lucius is boyish and thoughtful.
Does this change reflect how the world expects its men to act? Or is it just because Russell Crowe took the role of Maximus (and himself) very, very seriously? Zoe Williams investigates.
How long will it take to read: Five minutes.
Further reading: “It’s hard to know where to begin when presented with the full, lavish, epic spread of historical inaccuracy,” writes Charlotte Higgins of Gladiator II.
5. Why are so many of us so tired right now?
“Tired” has been my standard response to most inquiries about my wellbeing this year. “There’s a sense that much of Australia is running on empty; emotionally, physically and financially,” writes Bianca Nogrady.
I’m sorry to say she doesn’t discover a silver bullet for our societal malaise, but it’s sometimes enough to know that you’re not alone.
Pro tip: Banking your annual leave for one big holiday? Try taking shorter breaks through the year to release the pressure valve.
How long will it take to read: Three minutes.
Further reading: That’s enough for this week. Have a rest. You’ve earned it.
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