{"id":210448,"date":"2026-03-18T22:14:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T22:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/210448\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T22:14:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T22:14:06","slug":"dropout-comedy-stars-make-austin-laugh-at-sxsw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/210448\/","title":{"rendered":"Dropout comedy stars make Austin laugh at SXSW"},"content":{"rendered":"

South by Southwest<\/a> (SXSW) has its ups and downs, and to us, the highest highs come from finding the right threads to pull after the festival is over. We do that by bringing home some selections from the SXSW Bookstore, a curated collection of books by featured conference speakers.<\/p>\n

Conference panels are samples for a general audience; learning that sticks for the long term comes from spending 10-plus hours getting into the nuance of these thinkers\u2019 frameworks and experiences.<\/p>\n

Last year<\/a> was our first publishing our SXSW TBR list \u2014 that\u2019s \u201cto be read,\u201d for the less chronically online \u2014 and we actually followed through on a few titles. Without a hint of exaggeration, I think one of our picks, Blood In The Machine<\/a> by Brian Merchant, changed my life. Catch me at a gathering and I guarantee the Luddites will come up.<\/p>\n

Whether or not bookworms are attending the conference, they can shop online via the local independent bookstore BookPeople, which runs the official online version of the SXSW bookstore on Bookshop.org<\/a>. Or of course, readers can also always see what the Austin Public Library<\/a> has on offer.<\/p>\n

– From your friendly CultureMap Austin editor.<\/p>\n

Here are 10 books Austin editor Brianna Caleri and network writer Amber Heckler are adding to our must-read lists. Titles are organized alphabetically by the author’s last name.<\/p>\n

Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change<\/a> by Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly
Ebook retails for $19.99; also available in paperback ($24.95) and hardcover ($32.95)
In their panel for Somebody Should Do Something, these three authors and trained philosophers untangled<\/a> some of the most paradoxical messes of social change without resorting to platitudes. They let case studies speak for themselves, introduced the audience to important named frameworks that can be researched on their own, and most importantly, maintained the belief that we don\u2019t need firm answers to make a difference. \u2014 Brianna Caleri, editor<\/p>\n

The Radiant Sea: Color and Light in the Underwater World<\/a> by Steven Haddock and S\u00f6nke Johnsen with foreword by Helen Scales
Hardcover retails for $55
As we deal with the trials and tribulations of life on land, let\u2019s jump into the water for some beautiful ocean photography. This book focuses on species with transparent parts, bioluminescence, and fluorescence, resulting in a surreal cast of sea creatures displayed in brilliance against dark backgrounds. These pages bring art and science together in a book that made the Smithsonian Magazine\u2019s top 10 photography books of 2025<\/a>. \u2014 BC<\/p>\n

Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI<\/a> by Karen Hao
Ebook retails for $16.99; also available in paperback ($20) and hardcover ($32)
Artificial intelligence was all over the SXSW schedule this year, and the rules of engagement are changing faster than anyone can keep up with. At least we have investigative journalist Karen Hao, leader of the Pulitzer Center’s AI Spotlight Series. Empire of AI tracks some of the actual costs of AI \u2014 not just ideological weaknesses, but serious environmental and labor concerns that get swept under the rug when we worry about \u201crobots\u201d taking over, and not the people building them. \u2014 BC<\/p>\n

Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online<\/a> by Eszter Hargittai and John Palfrey Jd
Paperback retails for $20
Basically everyone could benefit from a lesson in digital literacy. Stereotypes tell us that older folks are especially vulnerable to online attacks and propaganda, but Wired Wisdom pushes back against those claims with original research. After making sure netizens over 60 are duly respected for their internet savvy, this book offers intergenerational strategies to make sure we\u2019re all on the same page. Or tab. \u2014 BC<\/p>\n

Follow Your Art: Uncover and Unleash Your Creative Voice<\/a> by Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo
Paperback retails for $21.99
If you\u2019ve never succeeded at finishing The Artist\u2019s Way (guilty), Follow Your Art could be the right alternative resource to draw out your creativity and make it a bigger part of your life. Johnson and Griffo, the owners of art education platform Goodtype<\/a>, help readers reconnect and develop an authentic creative voice through this workbook\u2019s prompts, advice, and immersive exercises. \u2013 Amber Heckler, network writer<\/p>\n

The Double Tax: How Women of Color Are Overcharged and Underpaid<\/a> by Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman with foreword by Chelsea Clinton
Ebook retails for $15.99, also available in hardcover ($29)
Referring to the pink tax<\/a> \u2014 the well-known phenomenon that products marketed to women cost more than their equivalent marketed to men \u2014 The Double Tax adds on the additional layer of being Black. Research for this book was collected across the country, ensuring that we know where to start closing gaps in opportunity, generational wealth, childcare and housing costs, and more. Intersectional feminists will have actionable solutions by the end of this book. \u2014 BC<\/p>\n

Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America<\/a> by Sean Sherman, Kate Nelson, and Kristin Donnelly
Ebook retails for $14.99; also available in hardcover ($45)
Oglala Lakota chef Sean Sherman\u2019s cookbook is more than a collection of recipes; it\u2019s a tool for eating more sustainably. Some of the mindful techniques taught in Turtle Island include eating with the seasons, getting nutrition through plant-forward foods, and whole-animal cooking. These methods have been used by Indigenous communities for generations, and this book is the culmination of many cultural practices and recipes. \u2014 AH<\/p>\n

Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing<\/a> by Lili Taylor
Ebook retails for $14.99; also available in paperback ($20) and hardcover ($30)
National Audubon Society board director and Sunrise on the Reaping actress Lili Taylor penned a series of essays about her journey embracing mindfulness, nature, and wildlife while she was taking a break from acting. Turning to Birds encourages readers to \u201cfind joy in the most unexpected places\u201d by paying closer attention to the world around them. \u2013 AH<\/p>\n

Margo\u2019s Got Money Troubles<\/a> by Rufi Thorpe
Ebook retails for $9.99; also available in paperback ($18.99) and hardcover ($28)
Twenty-year-old Margo is jobless, degreeless, has a newborn baby, and a piling stack of bills. She turns to OnlyFans, and the success might be more than she can handle. For those who like to read a book before watching its adaptation<\/a>, Thorpe\u2019s novel offers a funny and heartwarming story that will have readers hooked until the AppleTV series premieres. \u2013 AH<\/p>\n

Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson<\/a> by Tourmaline
Ebook retails for $14.99; also available in hardcover ($30)
I read Marsha in February, not expecting to see it in the SXSW Bookstore, but it\u2019s well worth a re-read. This biography of LGBTQ rights activist Marsha P. Johnson doesn’t only cement her legacy in the publishing world, but it also puts a spotlight on Tourmaline\u2019s writing through a compassionate, disability-first lens. Marsha doesn\u2019t always flow in chronological order; rather, it focuses on the phases of Marsha\u2019s life and contextualizes inconsistencies rather than glossing over them.. \u2013 AH<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"South by Southwest (SXSW) has its ups and downs, and to us, the highest highs come from finding…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":210449,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[132,134,133,4037,82446,2777,2969],"class_list":["post-210448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-austin","tag-austin","tag-austin-headlines","tag-austin-news","tag-comedy","tag-comedy-festival","tag-entertainment","tag-sxsw"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210448","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=210448"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210448\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/210449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=210448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=210448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=210448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}