All But The Kitchen Sink, October 2026
The nights are drawing in, the heating’s starting to go on and, judging by this month’s recommendations, we’re already settling into hibernation mode.
This edition of All But The Kitchen Sink is particularly heavy on things to read and watch – which feels about right for this time of year. We’ve got an epic Japanese novel, a Substack we wait impatiently for every week, a cabin-building YouTube rabbit hole and the return of basketball season.
And, to stop us becoming complete hermits, George has a very wholesome suggestion for getting your favourite people together too.
Here’s what we’re reading, watching and doing at the moment.
READ - Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa
Gaz here. I’ll start with a big claim: Musashi is probably my favourite book of all time.
No prizes for guessing that it’s Japanese. Written by Eiji Yoshikawa, it’s a fictionalised account of the life of Miyamoto Musashi, the legendary Japanese swordsman and samurai. It follows him from a fairly wild young man into someone on a much bigger physical, philosophical and spiritual journey.
It’s an epic in every sense – there are friendships, rivalries, love, loss and some brilliant fight scenes, alongside beautiful descriptions of Japan and the landscapes Musashi travels through. There’s plenty of real history woven through it too, so you find yourself getting completely immersed in the period.
One word of warning: it’s around 1,000 pages long. This is not a casual weekend read. But it’s absolutely worth the commitment.
Full Gaz seal of approval. If I could make you all read one book, it might be this.
WATCH - Skote Outdoors
Over to George for this one.
We’ve reached the point where there are certain YouTube series we anticipate almost as much as a new episode of a favourite TV show – and Skote Outdoors is one of them.
It follows a couple living on a small island in Newfoundland who took a long-abandoned cabin and slowly transformed it into their home. What started as a cabin renovation has evolved into something much bigger: they’re raising their family there and gradually turning the place into a homestead.
We’re suckers for a cabin build anyway, but there’s something incredibly watchable about seeing people create a home and a life somewhere so remote and beautiful.
Ideal viewing for a dark Sunday afternoon when you have absolutely no intention of leaving the sofa.
READ - Me Thanky by Joel Golby
Another reading recommendation, although this one comes in much more manageable weekly instalments.
Me Thanky is the Substack from London-based writer Joel Golby, and we’re slightly obsessed with it.
Golby has written for the likes of GQ, The Guardian and VICE, as well as writing two books, and he’s very, very funny. But there’s a thoughtfulness to his writing too – brilliant observations about ordinary life, popular culture and all the strange little things the rest of us notice but could never articulate quite as well.
A new edition lands once a week and it’s become one of those emails we genuinely look forward to seeing in the inbox.
If you like smart, funny writing that doesn’t take itself too seriously, give it a go.
WATCH - The NBA
Possibly a slightly more niche recommendation, but bear with us.
The NBA season is about to start and we are BIG basketball fans over here. We subscribe to NBA League Pass so we can watch the games throughout the season, but you don’t necessarily need to go that far.
Amazon Prime has rights to selected NBA games, so if you already have a subscription and have ever thought you might have even a passing interest in basketball, why not stick a game on and see what you think?
It’s fast, ridiculously skilful and, once you start getting to know the teams and players, dangerously easy to get invested in.
Consider this your invitation to join us for the season.
DO - Have your friends over for tea
After all those recommendations for things to read and watch, George thinks we should probably encourage you to leave the screen alone for a bit.
So here’s a very simple recommendation: invite some friends over for tea.
Not a dinner party. Not a late-night soirée. Nothing elaborate that requires three days of preparation and a frantic clean of the house beforehand, just get some people you like round on a Sunday afternoon, cook something nice, open a bottle of something good and hang out for a few hours.
Everyone gets a lovely meal and a proper catch-up – and the best bit is that you can all be back home in your pyjamas by 7.30pm.
Marvellous.