All things writing, travel, and books!
Today, I’m going to explore science fiction through one key concept, called cognitive estrangement, and one key work: Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed. But firstly, if you missed it, be sure to check out why you should read science fiction here. Ok, let’s learn some things. What is cognitive estrangement? Science fiction … Read more
Day 10. Diary date: 11th October. Quite the day yesterday. Catch up here if you missed it: From Bustling Bangkok to a Warm, Weary Morning in Chiang Mai. …And so the tenth day of travel begins. We wake up today in sun-soaked Chiang Mai at Family Home Hostel after sampling the city’s night-life. Slightly hungover, … Read more
Haruki Murakami’s Kakfa on the Shore is a strange, lurid book. You float through this dreamscape of modern Japan, effortlessly switching between the real, the fantastic, and the absurd. The characters drift through their story, unquestioningly, directed by powers outside of their own will. Everything in the book is subject to its own strange, … Read more
So, you want some science fiction books that’ll keep you glued to the pages? Look no further. I’ve compiled a list of my top 5 best sci-fi books, particularly thinking about what I would choose to get people into the genre. These are some of the very books that I first read in the genre; … Read more
Diary date: 9-10th October 2019 (days 8-9 so far). Leaving Bangkok After last night’s strange experience in Sukhumvit, we begin the next day by sorting out tickets to Chiang Mai. We play around with the idea of visiting Ayatthuya or Sukhothai on the way up north, but ultimately decide we’re not interested in all those … Read more
When we hear the words science fiction—or sci-fi, or speculative fiction, whatever—we think of spaceships, aliens, time travel, and all things outer-worldly. And it’s true that it often is about those things. But the genre still has this sort of low-brow, fringe association; it’s excluded from literature’s mainstream, in favour of realism, romance, and fantasy. … Read more
What makes a song—like Aphex Twin’s Avril 14th—instantly recognisable as special? …Alright, yeah, it’s subjective. But you’d be hard-pressed not to find something special in the piece embedded below. There’s a lot to be said about Aphex Twin. I’m not going to try to say it all now, or even pretend I understand … Read more
Today captures a different side of Bangkok. We leave Chinatown and head to Sukhumvit. We try out a party hostel, experience Soi Cowboy, and have ANOTHER run-in with Thai police… Day 7. Diary date: 8th October 2019 Leaving AMA Hostel, headed for Sukhumvit An early start today. We head for the local station, taking the … Read more
I’m going to try my hand at something personal today… My story job hunting as a graduate during COVID-19 I have a feeling, though, that my experiences are not-so-personal. That they’re universal, especially for graduates right now — and also for most people at some point in their career. Struggling to find work … Read more
In the first chapter novel, Grossman ponders: …How could a man be unhappy outside the camp? And from there, such striking and evocative turns-of-phrase pack the pages of Vasily Grossman’s Life and Fate. Today we’ll review his war epic, often dubbed the Soviet War and Peace… Spanning across Russia’s Eastern front, from the encircled … Read more