What we’re reading, listening to and thinking about this month.

Todd R.: Just finished John Sandford’s latest book in his Virgil Flowers series. I’ve also been enjoying Preet Bharara’s “Stay Tuned” podcast. In addition, I got to see Hamilton and the dunes of Oregon in the same week… both awesome.

Todd S.: In October, I plan to read Work Happy: What Great Bosses Know by Jill Geisler, who is a senior faculty member of the Poynter Institute and heads its leadership and management programs. I met Jill once at a professional workshop about six years ago. She offered several insights and good advice on the art of managing other human beings. I’m looking forward to reading about her thinking in greater detail.

Sarah: A third season of a previous rundown mention – “Man in the High Castle” – came out with a third season this month and it was everything my binge-loving self could have asked for. The shows gets more and more strange each episode, but it kept me glued to my screen.

Aaron: This October, I’ve had the pleasure to return to one of my favorite childhood book series, R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps. Over the years I’ve managed to keep all original copies 1-62 and have since finished Night of the Living Dummy #7, Welcome to Camp Nightmare #9 and The Horror at Camp Jellyjam #33.

Anna: I enjoyed the moving and magical book The Snow Child by Alaskan author Eowyn Ivey and am now halfway through Frankenstein, the perfect late autumn read. I also just finished binging the fourth season of Poldark.

Andrea: Recently, we heard about the close-to-home tragedy of Mollie Tibbetts and the unfortunate political polarization of her death. In Latino USA’s podcast episode “A Tragedy in Iowa Turned Political,” they discuss the stereotype of the “criminal immigrant,” how Mollie’s death played a role in the argument for stricter immigration laws and whether it affected our neighbor, Iowa.