Here’s what’s making us happy this week.

Happy Friday, readers! Here at Lit Hub, we’re determined to keep fighting the good fight. As cold fronts continue to pummel the East coast and craven billionaires and mad kings continue to play pickle-ball with our rights, lifting up the light has rarely felt more important.

Jonny Diamond, our fearless editor, has been energized this week by our comrades in Minneapolis. “Working with dozens of Minnesota writers to create a record of what’s happening in Minnesota” has been truly galvanizing, he says.

Please do check out our Letters from Minnesota series if you haven’t yet. Jonny’s gathered testimonies from some truly amazing writers, poets, professors, educators, and booksellers in the Twin Cities who continue to fight ICE raids in their community.

Calvin Kasulke has been enjoying the short waves, i.e., “tossing on WQXR in the background” while he works and reads. New York Public Radio’s classical music station is a gold standard, and we’re no, we’re not biased at all. Treat yourself to Morning Bach with Jeff Sturgeon or big band afternoons with Annie Bergen, and you’ll see what we mean. All for free, if you count taxes.

Says Calvin: “I’ve also converted a friend in SF from his local classical station to WQXR, which is a yet another win for New York chauvinism.” Bada-bing!

James Folta has been flipping a lot of pancakes, which is also shorthand for a mental health update. Our staffer’s go-to recipe is from the legendary chef and critic Ruth Reichl.

Says James: “The secret to the recipe, like so many good recipes, is an entire damn stick of melted butter, but what I love about the writing of this recipe is that she stresses the rhythm of making pancakes: they have to go from pan to mouth as quickly as possible. No keeping them warm in the oven, no letting them cool down. The best pancakes are selfless, and a gift.”

I, Brittany Allen, have been catching joy in a couple of places. The first is a theatre, to keep up the New York bias: Michael Walek’s The Bookstore is running for the next two weeks off-broadway, at 59E59th Street.

This poignant love letter to bibliophiles and indie booksellers is absolute catnip for readers like you. If you’ve an Ephronic itch to scratch, or also fret about the possibility that you’ll die before finishing Finnegans Wake, I sincerely recommend.

And the second nice thing is a rock-doc, inspired by a recent course of mockumentary therapy meant as tribute to the late greats Robert Reiner and Catherine O’Hara. The Wrecking Crew is a (real) love letter to the ultra-skilled studio musicians who most likely made your favorite 60s hits but aren’t found on album covers.

Something so inspiring about the artist who loves the craft more than building a persona. I was especially glad to make the acquaintance of Carole Kaye, the now 90 year old bassist who wrote immortal licks for Nancy Sinatra and The Beach Boys. If you can’t get to Manhattan this weekend, try Apple TV.

Wishing you a week of dulcet tones, giddy resistance, and a thousand pancakes.