Decolonizing History & Reclaiming the Narrative: Leila Aboulela’s Latest Novel River Spirit

What is not to love about a postcolonial novel that complicates the concepts of “victory” and “heroism,” inviting questions about whose victory, whose hero, and whose version of events–whose (hi)story is being told? Continue reading Decolonizing History & Reclaiming the Narrative: Leila Aboulela’s Latest Novel River Spirit

Civilizational Collapse, Taylor Swift(s) of the World, and the Beauty of Connection

As I continued to read the emails Alice and Eileen exchange throughout the novel, I realized: as citizens of the world, we had more in common than I initially thought. Continue reading Civilizational Collapse, Taylor Swift(s) of the World, and the Beauty of Connection

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The Power of Narrative & Why Edward Said Would Be Proud: 35 Palestinian Narratives to Read

Edward Said’s call to “narrate” and “record” has never stopped being relevant in the Palestinian struggle. In fact, Palestinian narratives have taken an increasingly important role in the resistance against the systemic erasure of their history. Continue reading The Power of Narrative & Why Edward Said Would Be Proud: 35 Palestinian Narratives to Read

‘A more narrowly defined culture-bond syndrome’: Folklorn (2021) by Angela Mi Young Hur

Folklorn is a contemporary origin story that seamlessly weaves Korean folklore within a narrative of identity, migration, and home. Continue reading ‘A more narrowly defined culture-bond syndrome’: Folklorn (2021) by Angela Mi Young Hur

Reading around Asia Book List | The World Bookshelf Project

My ultimate goal here as a voracious reader is to delve right into the literary scene(s) and spaces created by Asian writers–which I’ve been missing out on all these years. Continue reading Reading around Asia Book List | The World Bookshelf Project

‘Home is not a place to return to’: An I-Novel by Minae Mizumura | Japan

The original version of An I-Novel, published in 1995, mixes Japanese and English seamlessly, creating a literary work that reflects its narrator’s desire to find her true self. Continue reading ‘Home is not a place to return to’: An I-Novel by Minae Mizumura | Japan

Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2020

In a conversation I had with one of my close friends this morning, she told me that September is a month of new beginnings, but it’s also a month that can bring challenges with grief and loss. This does make sense; after all, without endings there is no new beginnings. Continue reading Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2020