The Weekend Reset: TE Lawrence, Minimalism, and Snow

It’s Friday. Looking for something to switch up your weekend, or to give you an excuse to relax a little? That’s what the Weekend Reset is for. Each week we’ll pull together five things to get your weekend started. Could be something to read or watch, something to eat or listen to, or even something to do. Enjoy the weekend fellas.

 

READ: Lawrence in Arabia

Scott Anderson’s Lawrence in Arabia is a breathtaking work of history, one that makes you realize how a few seemingly insignificant decisions can set the world on a course for utter disaster. The book is both a deep historical study of the influence of TE Lawrence, the British archaeologist who fought alongside Arabs in the Arab revolt against Turkey during World War I, as well as an exploration of the many unique and interesting historical characters whose decisions during the first World War shaped the Middle East for the next century. This is a book full of betrayals, real life spies, and incredible intrigue — one that completely shifted my understanding of contemporary geopolitics.

 

WATCH: Lawrence of Arabia

Since we’re on the topic, David Lean’s classic Lawrence of Arabia is one of the greatest movies Hollywood has ever made. A sweeping epic that tells the story of Lawrence’s involvement in the World War I Arab revolt. It is as wonderfully watchable and compelling as it is historically interesting. Yes, it is four hours long, but trust me, it doesn’t feel like homework — and Peter O’Toole is absolutely incredible as TE Lawrence. Worth setting aside a full evening to watch, or watching over the course of two days.

 

MAKE: Soup!

It’s cold out there. And there’s nothing better on a cold day then a warm, delicious, steaming bowl of soup. The beauty of soup is that you can make it out of almost any wacky combination of ingredients, which is why I love the Samin Nosrat recipe I’ve linked here — it’s adaptable and works with almost anything. It’s a great way to clean out your fridge and turn leftovers into a meal that will last for days. Photo by Pichara Bann on Unsplash.

 

LISTEN: Music for 18 Musicians

OK, gents. I’m going in a different direction with my music recommendation for this week — but trust me, it’s a good direction. Steve Reich was at the forefront of “classical” minimalism, a movement that sought to rethink orchestral music. Music for 18 Musicians, Reich’s most famous work, uses pulses and drones to build gorgeous layers of melody. And Reich’s influence extends far beyond the classical music world — a generation of rock and pop musicians grew up listening to his work and incorporating its styles into their own. Music for 18 Musicians is as unique as it is approachable, and I absolutely love it.

 

GO: Snowshoeing!

With much of the country covered in snow, now is a great time to go snowshoeing. The thing about snowshoeing, if you’ve never done it before, is just to think about it as hiking… on top of snow. The snowshoes distribute your weight so you don’t sink into the ground, which makes it possible to go on some gorgeous winter hikes. It’s also a really good workout for those quads and hamstrings. Ski lodges and other outdoors providers will frequently rent snowshoes, or you can buy them from an outdoors retailer like REI. Photo by Leslie Cross on Unsplash.