As we hurtle towards the end of 2025, I can hear you asking: where’s November’s Recommendation Week? It’s here. Even though it feels like yesterday I posted October’s.

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Recommendations aren’t filler. They’re a signal. What you back tells people who you are, what you value, and why they should trust you. That consistency builds a reputation people can measure you and your work against.

In a world of infinite options, curation is a service. If you’re reinventing your career or carving a more meaningful path, the right ideas, tools, and voices can speed that up. Think of this as a monthly shortcut.

Try this:

The trust model is something I’ve talked about on here before. This week’s media recommendation is “News Not Noise”. We’re living through a shift in the media model, away from billion-dollar newsrooms and towards independent journalists who build trust one piece of honest, unpanicked reporting at a time. Few people embody that shift better than Jessica Yellin.

Here’s a podcast Jessica did with tech journalist Kara Swisher.

This month’s book is Wisdom Takes Work by Ryan Holiday, the final instalment in his series on the Stoic virtues. I’ve benefited a lot from Stoicism, and I’ve mentioned it here before. Ryan’s books are a solid place to start if you want ancient thinking that’s unexpectedly useful in today’s fractured world.

I’m also recommending another Stoicism title. From the author of Reasons Not to Worry, Brigid Delaney has a new book, The Seeker and the Sage. It’s a guide to Stoic practice told as a parable. Clear, practical, and relatable.

Try this:

You may have watched the interview I did with media entrepreneur Ric Salizzo. If not, you still can here: https://generalistalan.substack.com/p/ric-salizzo-on-independent-media

I recorded and edited it with Riverside. It makes high-quality video and audio dead simple, even if you’re not technical. The text-based video editor is excellent, and the Magic Clips feature uses AI to auto-create short social clips and captions. It’s easy to use, and the YouTube how-to videos are actually useful.

https://riverside.com/recording

If you’re building a personal brand or testing a new direction, this is the kind of leverage you want: shoot long-form once, slice it into assets, and distribute.

Try this:

I’ve said before: nostalgia can be lazy. But sometimes it’s a time machine you need. Warren Zevon’s long-awaited induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a fitting nod to one of music’s sharpest, funniest, and most fearless songwriters.

If you’re new to Zevon, start here:

My favourite song on the album is Desperados Under the Eaves. It’s weary, wry, and somehow hopeful.

That’s November’s list. I’d love yours in return. What book, tool, podcast, or track has moved the needle for you this year? Hit reply and recommend one.

Try this:

See you in December for the next batch.