Book 9: Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali At this point, I have forgotten who or what social media recommended this book to me. It was probably a GenZ trend, a poetry group where I am a lurker, or Reddit. Nevertheless, I went into this book the way you enter into gullies unintended;... Continue Reading →
Where Does This Train Take Me?
These days, I tend to think a lot about the purpose of my life in an oddly mystical and spiritual way. I think about finding what makes my soul resonate and sing, and nestle myself into that space. Stories about people who have dedicated their lives to their passion inspire me once again. Greta Thunberg... Continue Reading →
In the In-Between
One morning last week, I was looking forward to working from home. I thought that I would gather the pockets of time left over for myself and do something I enjoy -- read a book, watch a show, or start writing my new essay. However, due to the cloudy, grey downpour all day, I gave... Continue Reading →
Book 8: The Idiot by Elif Batuman Right off the bat, I wrote a 3000 word essay because of this book and thankfully, a literary magazine published my essay, as well. It would seem as though it has been a lucky book for me. But was it good? One way to find out is to... Continue Reading →
On Loneliness and Learning
I forget to make notes during the week about the things I want to say. Instead, I talk to myself and say them out loud. Then, I forget about them. Whispering nothings and mutterings to the universe is an unconscious habit. Now I understand why my grandmother used to talk to herself while washing vessels,... Continue Reading →
Book 7: There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak Outside in the courtyard, the pine trees tower over him, silvery and needle-sharp, as if a giant seamstress has used the green hillside as her pincushion. Shafak, Elif. There are Rivers in the Sky (p. 302). (Function). Kindle Edition. Whenever I post about Elif... Continue Reading →
Book 6: The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy The first time I read Deborah Levy was when I was doing my world reading challenge in 2016. She came up as my writer for South Africa, somehow. Now that I think about it, I could have read something else for South Africa. At the time,... Continue Reading →
Book 5: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles But Fate would not have the reputation it has if it simply did what it seemed it would do. Towles, Amor. A Gentleman in Moscow (p. 80). (Function). Kindle Edition. I'm wary of book blurbs who exclaim loudly, and by that I mean, both in superlatives... Continue Reading →
Newfound Roads and Shades
As someone who has started driving in my Indian city, I see things that have no business being on the road. I am way past romanticising organised chaos; I cannot abide. This newfound skill has unlocked a new pathway in my brain which has given way to a whole host of emotions. At this point,... Continue Reading →