Discover the Unexpected Summer 2026 Picks That Freelancers Union Staff Can’t Stop Raving About!

Ever wondered what fuels the minds behind some of the sharpest entertainment and culture tastemakers during summer 2026? Spoiler alert: It’s a wild mix of deep dives into economic upheavals, binge-worthy TV sagas, and soundtracks that just won’t quit. From Yanis Varoufakis dissecting capitalism’s downfall to the nostalgic charm of “Cheers” and the electric vibes of Bruno Mars and Karol G—this crew’s picks are anything but ordinary. So, are you ready to shake up your summer screen time and bookshelf with some seriously eclectic tastes that tease both your intellect and your chill-time? Let’s dive headfirst into what these insiders are reading, watching, and listening to—and maybe discover your next obsession. LEARN MORE.

Get into our recs for summer 2026 below! Some timely, some timeless. Interested in perusing one of the books mentioned below? Head to our Bookshop page to check them out.

Andrea Gordillo, Executive Director

Reading: Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism by Yanis Varoufakis
Watching: The Prediction Games
Listening: Intercepted podcast

Jon Gray, Director of Member Benefits

Watching: Nemesis, House of the Dragon
Listening: Drake, AndyBeatz, Tonymix, Let’s Rap About It Podcast

Jalen Vasquez, Freelancers Hub Director

Watching: X-men 97, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, King of the Hill, Spiderman: Brand New Day
Listening: Bruno Mars, Karol G, The Weekly Planet Podcast

Jonathan Kim, Operations Coordinator

Reading: Smooth City: Against Urban Perfection, Towards Collective by René Boer, The Fabric of Reality: The Science of Parallel Universes and Its Implications by David Deutsch
Watching: How to Make it in America, The Black Rabbit, Little Miss Sunshine
Listening: Drake, Khruangbin, Current Joys

Dylan Ward, Legal Program Director

Reading: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, Buckley: The Life and the Revolution that Changed America by Sam Tanenhaus
Watching: Ken Burns’ The American Revolution, The Night of the Hunter, Maddie’s Secret, The Parallax View
Listening to: ear, Eli Escobar, The Hell Gate Podcast, Drop Site News, Know Your Enemy, New York Metro Weather

Lana Schwartz, Marketing Director

Reading: In the City by Joan Silber, The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis, and I Regret Everything by Keith McNally
Watching: Cheers, The Odyssey, The Five Star Weekend, The Minions franchise
Listening to: Paul Simon, Madonna, Phoebe Bridgers, You Must Remember This