The Muscle Ladder by Jeff Nippard. If Starting Strength is the bible of getting strong, The Muscle Ladder is the definitive text on getting jacked. After spending over a decade reviewing research papers and coaching thousands of clients, Jeff Nippard, a YouTuber and natural bodybuilder, has distilled the science of hypertrophy into an accessible system built around 12 fundamental principles. The Muscle Ladder provides sample programs for different goals and schedules and detailed exercise demonstrations. But what really sets this new book apart is how Nippard explains the science of muscle-building in a friendly, accessible way. Whether you’re a beginner looking to put on your first ten pounds of muscle or an experienced lifter trying to break through a plateau, there’s plenty of actionable advice here.
Parents, Put Down Your Phone Cameras. This article by Russell Shaw about parents watching their kids’ performances through phone screens rather than their own eyes resonated with me. Kate and I have always been pretty minimal when it comes to documenting our kids’ activities. When other parents at school events and sports games are working in coordinated pairs to capture every possible angle on their phones, we’re usually just . . . watching. Not that we never take pictures or videos — we do — but we try to limit it to a few shots at the beginning before putting our devices away. I want my kids to see my actual face in the crowd, not a phone where my face should be, and I want to fully absorb the experience in the moment. The article made a great point about how, in our drive to preserve memories through endless documentation, we often end up missing the actual experience we’re trying to capture. Sometimes the best way to remember something is simply to be fully present for it.
Green Corduroy Waverly Suit from Proper Cloth. After years of sticking to the classic menswear standbys of charcoal and navy suits, I’ve been branching out into more interesting territory. My latest addition is a pine green corduroy suit that’s perfect for fall and winter. We’ve covered the appeal of corduroy before; the fabric offers a pleasing, tactile texture that not only feels great to touch but stands out. Put that fabric in a suit, and you’ve got a getup that’s rugged yet refined and definitely unique; wearing it makes me feel like 1970s Robert Redford, and the suit never fails to draw compliments when I wear it to church. But what I most appreciate about it is how cozy it keeps me on those chilly Oklahoma mornings. As much as I love my year-round wool suits, there’s something special about stepping into a corduroy suit when there’s frost on the ground. Very hygge.
“Suspicious Minds” by Elvis Presley. Continuing on the 1970s theme . . . while I’m not typically a huge Elvis fan, “Suspicious Minds” hits all my sweet spots for a perfect pop song. Released in 1969, this tune has got that rich, layered sound that defined the era: a catchy country guitar lick, soaring strings that create dramatic tension, punchy brass that adds soul, and gospel backup singers that give the song its spiritual lift. The arrangement builds and swells in all the right places, particularly during that famous fade-out-and-back-in ending. Everything comes together to support Elvis at his emotional best, telling a story of a relationship teetering on the edge of collapse.
Over on our Dying Breed newsletter, we published Sunday Firesides: Talent Can’t Be Taught and Biorhythms: What A Forgotten 1970s Wellness Fad Can Tell Us About 2025.
Quote of the Week
One is never done with knowing the greatest man or the greatest works of art—they carry you on, and at the last you feel that you are only beginning.
—T.R. Glover
