Seasonal list: Autumnal books, films and TV shows

For a few years now, I’ve been marking the passage of time by curating lists of things to read or watch according to the season and its qualities. It’s been pretty effective in helping combat the feeling of months passing me by due to mindless overconsumption, busy work schedules or a crowded social calendar, and I hope it sparks something in you as you curate your own TBR 📖 and TBW 📺 lists! Don’t forget to brew your favourite cup of tea before diving in!

My Spooktober post has more details on all things spooky for the season, so here I’m going to suggest some non-spooky seasonal reads for you guys. Autumn is all about cozy comforting reads, but genres like history, philosophy, theology, and memoirs really scratch that itch for my brain during this time of the year too.

A Philosophy of Walking (by Frédéric Gros)

‘Tis the season for longer walks, perhaps further away from home than we are accustomed to, deeper and deeper into the woods—and our minds. This is a great book for the wanderers, ramblers and pilgrims of the world, and goes into detail on how many renowned thinkers—Rimbaud, Nietzche, Kant—made walking central to their work. Sadly he only covers figures from the white Western world (the author is a French guy after all), but it’s still a really interesting book to sink your teeth into, especially if you’re an avid walker too, or thinking of getting into the practice.

Seeing For Ourselves and Even Stranger Possibilities (by Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan)

Since autumn is a time for deep reflection, this book is on the top of my (re-read) list. This collection of personal essays tackles some very pressing questions faced by young Muslims in our day and age: Why do we yearn to be seen when we are already far too visible? How do we want to be perceived, and how are we exposed? Could we ever really see for ourselves? And why do we so rarely give thought to the Gaze of our Beloved, the Unseen and All-Seeing? I think it’s beautiful to be able to see the intimate, complicated and sometimes even scary thoughts that run through my head at night be presented so beautifully on paper by someone I have never met before.

Remnants of a Separation (by Aanchal Malhotra)

Every year this book becomes more and more urgent as politics in the Subcontinent become more and more fractured. It carries out the monumental task of revisiting memories of the Partition of India in 1947 by putting a spotlight on items carried by refugees across the border. From a string of pearls to a vintage kohl pot and a notebook of handwritten poetry, these objects breathe life into the stories of our grandparents’ generation, who silently endured this immense hardship. Painful, poignant and beautiful.

Arabella (by Georgette Heyer)

If you haven’t had a chance to read any of Georgette Heyer’s regency-era romances, let this be your introduction! This is a comedy of errors with funny, lighthearted and sparkling dialogue. Our lead, Arabella is the feisty, impetuous eldest daughter of a penniless clergyman from the countryside who spins a lie about being an heiress (that snowballs beyond her control), and Robert Beaumaris is our sardonic hero who cheekily goes along with the lie to see how far it goes. The side characters, such as Arabella’s meddling family members, are just as fun and Heyer writes them in with so much love and warmth that you’ll be smiling ear to ear throughout.

Howl’s Moving Castle (by Diana Wynne Jones)

This is my yearly appeal to Howl’s Moving Castle (Ghibli) fans to read the book for double the enjoyment and magic! Book Howl is at least 50 times funnier and more childish and irritating than Movie Howl. In fact, he’s the biggest diva Wales has ever produced. Howl and Sophie’s cranky back-and-forths and banter are very entertaining to read, and their emotions and back stories are better explored here. I really loved reading about Sophie’s inner world. Quirky, heartwarming and cozy—perfect for the season. For a more recent update, I suggest Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries!

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (by Sangu Mandanna)

This book was a love at first read moment for me. Mika is a young witch who has always had to hide her magic and keep her head down. She’s enlisted to travel all the way to Nowhere House to teach three very young and very naughty witches how to control their magic. The witches are under the charge of Jamie, the house’s brooding and cold librarian who would do anything to protect the children. To him, an outsider like Mika definitely counts as a threat. The House itself is a character in the book, and there is so much to love about it and its surroundings! Very Practical Magic coded. Found family, adorable kids, magic, and the art of eventually accepting yourself, flaws and all—this is such a good book to curl up under a blanket with your windows open to let the cool evening breeze in. [And for a movie fix, it’s Practical Magic rewatch time.)

The Book of Gold Leaves (by Mirza Waheed)

This is a sweeping love story set in Kashmir between a boy called Faiz and a girl called Roohi. Except it’s the 90s and Kashmir is simmering with political tension and rebellion. It is only a matter of time before Srinagar is engulfed in the gathering storm. Before they know it, the city they call home is besieged and erupts in violence, threatening everything the two lovers hold dear. This book dives DEEP into themes of love, devotion, duty, choice, resistance, rebellion, and art. Exquisite and complex writing to pull you in for days.

The shows I love watching around this time of the year are very similar to the kinds of books I like to consume. Cozy and warm romcoms, maybe some mystery and fantasy thrown in on the side for good measure, as well as epic historical / period dramas. This is also arguably the best season for many good C-dramas too so I’ve got you covered on where to start depending on what you’re looking for!

If you want Healing/Romance/Comedy:

Just Like Heaven (2005) — A lonely architect finds an amazing apartment, only to discover it’s haunted by the spirit of the previous tenant—an overachieving doctor. Funny and surprisingly poignant, with literally the sweetest Hollywood romcom pairing in 00s history (Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo!). Their giant windowsill with views over San Francisco is also to die for—literally.

Pushing Daisies (2007; TV Show) — A piemaker who can wake up the dead. Technicolour characters in technicolour outfits waltzing around technicolour sets. Low stakes cozy mystery. Some of the best casting in TV history. And all of this wrapped up in Bryan Fuller’s signature humour—a unique mix of dark and wholesome (minus Hannibal, of course. We don’t talk about that over here). What’s not to love?

If you want Family/Warmth/Chaos:

Where Do We Go Now (2011) — A group of Muslim and Christian Lebanese women in a small border town strive to ease rising religious tensions in their village caused by the calculated actions of local politicians (when both communities have co-existed peacefully for decades before). A nuanced and beautifully made film that highlights the power of community and putting reason before high-strung emotions. It also celebrates women and the unique power they hold as the glue of any community or society.

Rock the Casbah (2013) — A bittersweet comedy… about a funeral. The death of a family’s patriarch (played by an adorable Omar Sharif) brings the children back to their childhood home, along with all of their relatives. But claws come out and old grievances are brought back to the surface when youngest daughter Sofia arrives back from her new home in LA. Autumn is such a great season to reflect on the beautiful and messy relationships we all have in our lives and this movie is a wonderful reminder to pause, look at our loved ones with a fresh new pair of eyes and see them as they truly are, flaws and all—our biggest supporters, no matter what.

If you want Academia/Fall vibes:

Mona Lisa Smile (2003) — Dead Poets’ Society but for the GIRLS. Set in 1953, a buoyant and carefree art history professor (played by Julia Roberts with a wardrobe that is CHEF’S KISS) at an all-female university encourages her conservative students to question outdated societal norms for women. Something refreshing about this movie is that the professor is also introduced to the concept of why some of these students do what they do in order to survive and even thrive in their own way in a strictly patriarchal society, so there is a smartly written balance to what can sometimes be seen as her saviour-complex/overbearing-ness. She learns to give in, just as much as some of her students learn to let go.

In A Class Of Her Own (2020; C-Drama) — Xue Wen Xi, the daughter of an impoverished family, is willing to do what it takes to help care for the clan; she takes a job as a writer but must disguise herself as a male and enter a prestigious academy for scholars. But the ruse becomes complicated when the prime minister’s son enters her life. Smart, funny and keeps you on the edge of your seat (with a cute romance to boot) — with Imperial Chinese academia as the backdrop? Sign EVERYBODY up. The two male leads are Song Weilong and Wang Ruichang if you even need any more convincing.

If you want Historical/Fantasy/Big Adventure/Period dramas:

Perfect Match (2025; C-Drama) — A second C-Drama has hit the autumnal watchlist. This quirky series follows the story of Madam Li and her five unmarried daughters as they relocate to the capital city of Bianjing to open a teahouse and find suitable husbands, encountering various humorous and heartwarming misadventures. Basically Song Dynasty Pride & Prejudice – what’s not to love? Genuinely funny and all the characters are a blast to watch, but especially Madam Li and her daughters. We love a scheming matriarch!

Marco Polo (2014; Netflix series) — Literally Benedict Wong’s greatest work and no one has even seen it. By the way, Marco Polo is merely a stand-in for modern audiences – the main character of the show is undoubtedly Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan. Epic vistas, on-location filming, THE TREACHEROUS MONGOL EMPIRE, lavish costumes and sets, political intrigue and super high stakes. Netflix’s most expensive production to date. I promise you this will be one of the greatest adventures of your life.

Legend of Fei (2020; C-Drama) — An epic historical novel come to life. With a feisty and powerful female warrior lead and a mischievous jester who joins her on a great big adventure. Together, they cross beautiful landscapes and battle supernatural beings rooted in Chinese mythology and folklore. This is a fun entrypoint for anyone looking to explore Xianxia dramas.

And that’s about it! What’s on everyone’s watchlist this autumn? I’m collecting recs too 🙂