With points deducted for lateness ... ▪ I’m in Philadelphia for the weekend, here for a quick visit and a 90th birthday party for one of my grandmothers. I decided to fly on Spirit for the first time, which I know has a terrible reputation for customer service, but made this trip possible by selling … Continue reading Weekly Wanderings: September 23 [er, 25], 2016
Bookshelf: 13 Men
I made a brief mention in my latest LA Review of Books China Blog post of a new short book by Indian journalist Sonia Faleiro, 13 Men, and wanted to discuss that publication in a bit more depth. 13 Men is the most recent e-book from publishing collective Deca (it’s also available as a Kindle … Continue reading Bookshelf: 13 Men
LA Review of Books China Blog: “Inconvenient Truths”
I have a new post up at the LA Review of Books China Blog, about two documentaries that were recently censored in China and India: It’s not every week that China-and-India-watchers have parallel stories to chew over, but that’s what’s been happening for the last few days. In both countries, a documentary film about an … Continue reading LA Review of Books China Blog: “Inconvenient Truths”
Bookshelf: In Spite of the Gods
I have an on-again, off-again relationship with a book club here in Shanghai that’s loosely formed around some of the Johns Hopkins alumni in the city. I’ll go for a meeting or two, then skip several in a row because I’m busy or out of the country or don’t feel like reading the work of … Continue reading Bookshelf: In Spite of the Gods
Fourteen Books for 2014
I acquire a lot of books. My mother receives all my Amazon packages in Philadelphia, so I’m sure she’ll confirm this statement—and those are only the physical books that I buy! My Kindle gets fed on a regular basis, too, and book publishers often send me review copies of new titles so I can write … Continue reading Fourteen Books for 2014
Bookshelf: Around India in 80 Trains
When I served as a chaperone for a group of UC Irvine students on a three-week tour of India in 2010, our in-country guide clearly had no intention of letting us step foot on an Indian train. Though trains running between Delhi and Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located, cover the journey in only … Continue reading Bookshelf: Around India in 80 Trains