Perks and Rec: The best of Memorial Day sales

Hi there. Happy Friday before Memorial Day. You're just killing time, aren't you? You didn't get the day off, but you're soft-taking the day off? Well, do I have a bunch of time-killing browsing for you.

You probably already have your long weekend read lined up, but if you're looking ahead to the rest of your summer reading, allow us to recommend some books by Black authors. Personally, I'm excited for the new Brandon Taylor — The Late Americans — and Colson Whitehead's sequel to the excellent Harlem Shuffle, Crook Manifesto. I've never met a Colson Whitehead book I didn't love.

On to everyone's current fixation: Barbie things. Everyone's talking about Barbiecore outfits, but let's turn our attention to adding a touch of Barbie Dream House to your home. I like this pink lamp for — ahem — a light touch. If you want to go bigger, this pink velvet, scallop-backed chair is a reasonable $160 as I'm writing this. If you're not sure you can go pink in your home, take it from someone whose living room is painted "Texas rose": you can do it.

— Ashley Dean, Newsletter Editor