5 things to experience: Sea monsters, culture wars and the joy of sax

Each week, Stephanie Curtis chooses 5 things to read, watch, or experience.

1) "One Dirty Tree," a graphic memoir by Noah Van Sciver, tells the story of his chaotic childhood household and it made him into an insecure young adult.

2) I love an article that tries to diagnose America's ills. Here's a good one: "How Everything Became the Culture War" in Politico.

"Democrats and Republicans are increasingly self-segregated and mutually disdainful, "writes Michael Grunwald, "each camp deploying the furious language of victimhood to justify its fear and loathing of the gullible deplorables in the other." It's a good read following up on the midterms.

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3) Former MPR News reporter John Biewen co-hosts the "Scene on Radio" podcast with Celeste Headley. Last season's series on whiteness was nominated for a Peabody. This season is just as good. It's all about men and seeing the patriarchy.

4) Read about when sea monsters called mosasaurs swam in the Atlantic:

"About 200 million years ago, Africa was part of the supercontinent Gondwana. Then, about 135 million years ago, that continent started unzipping down the middle. Among the remnants were Africa and South America, which slowly drifted apart. The South Atlantic Ocean filled in the gap between them. It was a time of oceanic turmoil: huge changes in sea level and temperature. It was a brand new habitat, and sea creatures fought to own it."

5) Mid-afternoon pick me up: "Fete by the River" by Binker and Moses, a drum and sax duo from London.