My Interview on The Material Review. One of my favorite newsletters is The Material Review, co-founded by Michael Williams of A Continuous Lean. Every week, they feature a curated list of products and articles to check out. I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed for the newsletter and discussed where manhood stands in 2025, some gear recommendations, how my approach to buying things has evolved since my high school punk rock days, and more.
Unbroken (Young Reader’s Edition) by Laura Hillenbrand. We recently finished reading this book aloud with our kids. A young adult adaption of Hillenbrand’s bestselling book Unbroken, it’s still meaty and substantial, just shorter than the original. It tells the unbelievable story of Louis Zamperini, who spent 47 days adrift at sea after his plane crashed during World War II, only to endure brutal treatment in Japanese POW camps. Of all the books we’ve read aloud over the years, this was one of Gus and Scout’s favorites. They found Louis’ story very compelling and couldn’t believe the hardships he endured. It certainly put our own everyday problems in perspective. If you haven’t read the original Unbroken, it’s definitely worth your time. Years ago, we wrote up four life lessons from Louis’ story, and even offered a look at the supplies he had to rely on to survive in his tiny life raft.
Ken Burns’ Hemingway Documentary. My latest Zone 2 cardio watch has been Ken Burns’ three-part documentary on Ernest Hemingway. Burns weaves together archival footage, letters, and interviews to create a thoroughly interesting portrait of Papa. The series doesn’t shy away from showing Hemingway’s flaws, but the guy’s approach to life and writing is still so damn inspiring. He lived with real bravado, and to the hilt, and strove for greatness. Among other things I learned from the documentary: Hemingway called his depression “black ass,” an apt descriptor I continue to appreciate and get a kick out of.
Stiga Ping-Pong Table. Friends of ours recently moved away from Tulsa and didn’t have enough room in their new house for their very nice ping-pong table, so they generously bequeathed it to us. This thing has become an unexpectedly robust source of screen-free, family entertainment for the McKays. We’ve been playing every day. If you’ve got pre-teen or teenage kids (and enough space), I highly recommend getting a ping-pong table. It brings the family together for some wholesome (okay, occasionally overly competitive) fun.
On our Dying Breed newsletter, we published The Dead Poets Society Sellout Test.
Quote of the Week
Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life.
—Voltaire
