Top of the weekend to you all. If you haven’t already been smashing the new-ish DJ Koze drop, you’re welcome. But tuck into this week’s selection of reads first.
1. Louis Theroux’s viral West Bank film
When Louis Theroux dropped his latest film, The Settlers, it blew up the internet. The star of much of the viral content was Daniella Weiss, who spoke matter-of-factly to the documentary maker about the Israeli settler project in the West Bank.
Theroux writes for the Guardian on his experience on the ground shooting the film – and why no one should have been shocked by its contents.
The more things change … Thinking back to when he first filmed in the West Bank, in 2010, Theroux muses that “much was still the same”.
How long will it take to read: Four minutes.
2. ‘What would be the point of having more money than my wife?’
Amal and George Clooney apparently never fight. Out here in the real world, where bank balances don’t have limitless zeroes and the cost-of-living crisis is biting hard, money can be a source of relationship angst.
Hundreds of Guardian readers shared how they manage finances with their romantic partner – and the “power imbalances” that can develop, often disadvantaging women.
Better late than never: One couple didn’t pool their finances until 20 years into the 35-year marriage.
How long will it take to read: Four minutes.
3. The bootcamp that promises happiness – at a price
Got a spare US$700 lying around? Me neither. But if you did and were feeling a little directionless, you could make your way to Los Angeles for a three-day immersion that promises “discovery in the most crucial aspects of your life”.
Katherine Rowland was persuaded to try out one of these so-called psychic recalibration masterclasses. “It was like I had been in a coma,” confided her friend, who said she felt as though she was in “the driver’s seat” after the bootcamp. Here’s what Rowland learned from undertaking a course that was “extremely triggering” by design.
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“Saturday afternoon found me sitting in my chair with my eyes closed, flailing my arms above my head and screaming at my father. A terrifying noise issued from my mouth and joined the other chilling sounds that filled the room and doubtlessly frightened the other guests of the hotel.”
How long will it take to read: Eight minutes.
4. The man who took ‘the perfect game’ global
Tetris is one of the most successful video games in history, with more than 520m sales. The story of how the Dutch game designer and entrepreneur Henk Rogers secured the international rights from a Russian programmer involves clandestine meetings and KGB interrogations – they even made a movie about it. But, says Rogers, who is setting the record straight in a new book: “There is so much bullshit in there!”
Rogers’ latest achievement: The now Hawaii resident’s Blue Planet Foundation has successfully lobbied the island state to commit to clean energy by 2030.
How long will it take to read: Three minutes.
5. The Tesla no one wants
When Elon Musk first rolled Tesla’s Cybertruck on to the world stage in 2019, it generated more confusion than praise. Susceptible to rust and incapable of handling off-road driving, its reputation has since soured even further – particularly with its “doomsday prepper” target market.
Andrew Lawrence takes a test drive and finds it barely equipped for these times, let alone the apocalypse.
A rare Tesla flop: Despite being the world’s top-selling EV pickup, Cybertruck sales are so poor the company doesn’t bother reporting them.
How long will it take to read: Six minutes.
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