Théophile Gautier on Cats
Gautier adored cats so much that he penned a book entitled ‘Ménagerie intime’ (1869) where he meditated on the cats he’d owned –excuse me, that owned him– through his life.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Autumn
To Longfellow, Fall means change, wisdom, an end and a beginning. A contradiction. Fall, he suggests, is a poignant reminder of our mortality.
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.
A Turkish American Story: Selma Ekrem’s ‘Unveiled’
Ekrem’s is a story of displacement and self-realization—a story of reconciliation between Eastern and Western cultural codes within a transcultural space as she grows into independence as a woman and an immigrant.
Monthly Wrap-Up | July 2020
As a professional who reads and writes for a living, not sticking with my reading goals used to bother me. A lot. Sort of like leaving a book unread or not finishing a book, you know? I’m sure you know (especially if you’re a bookworm). But as I transition into my new life, I’m learning to find joy in leaving a book unfinished.
Monthly Wrap-Up | June 2020
June has officially come to an end, and I’ve decided to post my first wrap-up piece as I wait for my flight back home at O’Hare.
So Long a Letter; So Long a History | Mariama Bâ, Muslimness, and Women’s Rights
Through Ramatoulaye’s reflections, Bâ highlights the institution of marriage as a structural symbol of the patriarchal system, in which asymmetrical gender relations are maintained and projected as part of the Islamic doctrine.
bell hooks on Love
“When we choose to love we choose to move against fear-against alienation and separation. The choice to love is a choice to connect-to find ourselves in the other.”
