A literary and cultural blog dedicated to book reviews, literary travel, art, museums, and thoughtful reading across borders and cultures.
Thatching is one of the world’s oldest crafts which means building a roof with dry plants such as straw, heather or sedge. On the Roof: A Thatcher’s Journey by Tom Allan explores man’s connection to the nature and land as well as the importance of tradition. Following his work in […]
All the Lovers in the Night by the Japanese writer, Mieko Kawakami is a beautiful novel exploring the quiet tragedy of the ordinary life and loneliness of its inhabitants. Written with profound compassion, this novel is also an ode to the life of introverted individuals and to those who seek […]
I hope you all are doing well and enjoying summertime. I have compiled a list of books below that might make great summer reads. All these books evoke a great sense of place they are set in, from warm Algeria, Tunisia to the mountainous Alps, unknown dystopian land, sunny hills […]
I compiled a short list of books tackling the issues of poverty, social injustice, financial instability and lack of opportunities written by the authors from different countries: USA, France, Tibet, Zimbabwe, and Ukraine. I hope this list will inspire you to pick up some of the titles listed below. 1 […]
“I’d spent most of my life struggling with daily human concerns. (…) Since my childhood I had forgotten how to see things with my own eyes (…); loneliness led me, in moments free of memory and consciousness, to see the brilliance of life again. (…) I don’t know whether I […]
Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun by the Nigerian writer, Sarah Ladipo Manyika is a life-affirming novel exploring ageing, personal independence, debilitating illnesses that affect us as we grow older, loneliness, friendship, loss, immigration, the importance of books in one’s life and the position of older women […]
I have prepared a list of book featuring older women at the centre of the story. I have tried to include books from various parts of the world: Nigeria, Ukraine,Argentina, Lebanon, Egypt, Israel, England, Italy and Germany and written mainly by female writers. I hope you will find this list […]
“(…) literature – (…) wants and strives to be a true part of the composite human record – that is, not words but a reality.” “Through these woods I have walked thousands of times. For many years I felt more at home here than anywhere else, including our own house. […]
Brian is a profoundly moving meditation on the meaning of solitary life, of art and cinema in shaping one’s perception of and connection with the world, of the hidden depths of human soul often kept private in fear of misunderstanding and stigma, and of the importance of companionship and community. […]
“I still exist in a work environment where I’m forced to mask because to expect accommodations would still be seen as asking too much in a world where most people know next to nothing on my neurotype. (…) I have accepted I may never have lasting friendships or know how […]