-
Through Hell and Back: On Katabasis, Academia, and the Hope of Connection
Grad school is hell. So sayeth all my friends with a doctorate, and so sayeth Dr. R. F. Kuang in her latest book, Katabasis. Katabasis (lit. “journey to the underworld”) follows a final-year doctoral candidate as she treks to Hell to rescue her (questionable) doctoral advisor. To her irritation, she’s stuck with the department’s Golden
-
The Secret Lives of British Cities (According to Urban Fantasy)
I’ve been on a bit of a fantasy streak lately—though not the swords-and-sagas kind. These days, I’m drawn more to urban fantasy, that magical subgenre where the extraordinary exists just beneath the surface of the ordinary. It’s one of my favourites, in part because it makes the impossible feel just a bit more possible. Magic,
-
Letters from the Reading Perch: Reading as Recovery
Reading has always been more than a hobby to me — it’s comfort, clarity, and, at times, the very thing that keeps me upright. So consider this the first letter from my reading perch: part journal, part meditation, part invitation. Dear Inklings, I’m never sure how universal my reading experience is, but I’ve always found
-
Reading adventures, Pt. 10: Dusty legends and ocean breezes in Abu Dhabi
Just when I thought I’d got the hang of this reading-while-traveling thing, my latest trip threw me for a loop. Earlier this month, I was told I needed to travel to Abu Dhabi for work. Never one to waste a good trip, I dove into my usual pre-travel ritual: building a reading list rooted in
-
Colonialism and culture wars in Tasha Suri’s The Books of Ambha
For those who follow my Goodreads, you may have noticed an uptake in my fantasy reading this year. I’ve been really enjoying the epic stories and the intricate human plots – their own kind of mystery. But at times, I can get tired of how so many of the kingdoms are rooted in Western culture
-
Reading (mini)-adventure: Revolutionary History by the Sausalito shore
We interrupt your regularly scheduled travel/reading posts to bring you a staycation-themed travel post. Despite just returning from two weeks in Italy, we decided to up our Independence Day ante by visiting Sausalito’s celebration. Hoping for actually visible fireworks and a small-town atmosphere, we trekked across the Golden Gate for a two-day getaway by the
-
Warm, healing, rebellious, comforting: The flavors and facets of fantasy tea
Perhaps the most consistent part of my reading experiences over the years has been my beverage of choice. Whether I’m reading mystery, fantasy, or epistolary, I’m always accompanied by a steaming hot mug of tea. (In summer – or in the Bay Area “summer”, aka late September, you may catch me with an iced version.)
-
The rise of cozy reading: mystery, fantasy, and more
The idea of “cozy” fiction seems to have spiked in the last few years. Cozy mysteries, cozy fantasies – shelves are overflowing with authors insistent of making you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. (Google Trends seems to agree with me on this. Searches for cozy mystery, cozy reading, and cozy fantasy grew 2-10x since
-
The gift of reading: Scenes of the Crime and Once Upon a Book Club
Welcome, friends to 2025! I hope your first week of this mathematically fun year has been treating you well. I usually spend this week trying to recover from the intensity of the holiday season. This year, that means reading everything I can get my hands on and indulging in some cozy games as well. And
-
Considerations – and charts! – on the challenges of 2024
As we prepare to send 2024 out with a bang, I wanted to reflect on my reading journey this year. Personally, 2024 has been a year of immense growth and intense change. I hit a milestone birthday, and a major educational moment. I got a big promotion. And I did a big International trip (and