I have always been interested in reading the stories of immigrants. Not the ones that concern unemployment woes or social stigma, which we encounter by and large on a daily basis in the form of news. I do read those as well, of course. But I am more fascinated by the stories of people who...
It was the eve of St. Patrick’s Day here in Dublin. There was a buzz in the air as it was the beginning of a long weekend. Pubs were overflowing, more than usual, with people and drink. Hordes of tourists descend on the city every year to witness the colourful, week-long celebrations for Paddy’s Day....
Writing a book is not as easy as an accomplished writer makes it out to be. Months of research, sometimes years, combined with an eye for detail and a knack for personalizing stories in lucid language certainly form the foundations of good writing. This is what I was thinking as I flipped the last page...
I have always been attracted to Japanese animations. Not the dark, weird manga movies (sorry manga fans!) where teenagers are Soul Reapers, search for ways to bring their dead mother back to life or gains powers to kill people if he knows their faces or names. I love the Studio Ghibli type of movies where...
Pubs and bars are generally seen as crowded, smoke-filled places where you elbow your way in, get a drink, and then elbow your way out. However, living in Dublin has taught me that, that’s not all there is to these establishments. There are the bars or pubs that you go to for a quick drink...
Although I have been in Ireland for more than a year now, it was only when I visited the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, that I actually saw the shamrock plant up close. It has three leaves, and should not be confused with the four leaf clover. It was also a lovely emerald green, and...
Ever been to a glass factory? I have. But so long ago that I only have vague memories veiled in the mists of time. A few days back, I chanced upon this magical short documentary, simply named “Glass.” It is a ten-minute window into the contrasting processes of manufacturing hand made crystal at the Royal...
I attended an interesting talk in the evening, on March 22nd at the Science Gallery. Named Snap, Crackle, and Pop with Nicola Twilley, it attracted my attention because it promised to take me through a lot of things, from the “history of the calorie to the science behind how the sound of food affects its...
Sometimes in life, we face situations which flummox us. Maybe the retelling of an incident. Maybe an explanation of some sort. They make us go, “Lord, where do I even begin?” That’s the question that’s been running through my head every time I sit down to begin reviewing “A Little Life,” the 700+ page tome...
It’s dark and gloomy. Gusty winds blowing and icy drops of rain smashing against the window. It’s only morning on a Saturday but it seems to be one that needs to be spent indoors. Familiar scene? Worry not. Just grab Sara Gruen’s “At the Water’s Edge,” and you would soon wish for more such days....
What happens to you when you fight in a war? Yes, depression, PTSD, difficulty being a “normal” person. We have seen all of this portrayed in movies. But what happens to your family, and the life you had before you left? That’s what “The Best Years of Our Lives” shows us. Made in 1946, while...
I watched the Chinese movie “Mountains May Depart” (山河故人) as part of the ADIFF 2016. Jia Zhangke’s sweeping drama is set in China and Australia and takes place in three parts. It begins in 1999 with a group of people dancing to “Go West” by the Pet Shop Boys, a song that resurfaces more than...
