What was your earliest memory of being told a story? My earliest memory of being told a story would have been when I was about 6 years old. My mom and I would lay down in my bunk bed (top level always!) and we’d read books from the “Little Golden Books” collection. I’d even sleep…
What is something that you always carry in your bag? What do you think that the item says about you? I almost always have scrap paper in my bag. That probably means that I prefer to write things on free, recycled paper rather than use an expensive nonbiodegradable object that requires batteries. You have a…
Your bag is one of our biggest thus far! We’re intrigued! Tell us the story behind your bag. Since 2010, I’ve lugged around a trolley bag, partly because I have too many items (my teaching stuff, my yoga gear, water bottles, passes, thumb drives etc) , partly because my backpack used to give me shoulder…
Soft-spoken is one way to describe Andrew Marshall. Other words that come to mind are opinionated, driven, brave. He’s someone who believes in looking beyond the rat race, into the limitless potential offered by the pursuit of your passion. Indeed, he lives and breathes his passion for writing and reading; this is obvious within the…
The 100-day countdown has begun. And millions of people around the world are getting ready for the best sporting event this year. If physical activity and cheering for your country is not your thing, here’s another good reason to head to London — Poetry Parnassus. Set to be the largest poetry event in the UK,…
Stanza. Rhyme. Allegory. Imagery. Motif. These terms are often used by academia to refer to poetry. But more than anything, a poem expresses one’s most private feelings, secrets and desires. Across time, poetry has been used for a wide range of purposes. Aside from being a means of communication between lovers, poetry has been used…
“It isn’t true that Nature is mute.”, says Italian poet Eugenio Montale. While Spanish poet Antonio Machado writes, “Wake up as much as possible.” Literally or figuratively, take it whichever way you want. Poetry is open to as many interpretations as possible anyway. But for all of us who have have experienced awe and wonder when…
Chasing Fireflies is an interactive collection of haiku by the great Japanese masters . . . reimagined for the iPad. Each poem lives within a beautifully evolving background, moving through the cycles of the seasons in perfect harmony. Haikus written by the Japanese poets, Basho, Buson, Kikaku and Issa are presented and told in an…
One of Asia’s premier literary events is happening in two days! It’s back this year with the theme, “Transactions”. Here’s more from the organizers: “SWF 2011’s theme reminds us how transactions underscore our daily lives – from our individual purchase and consumption of goods and services, including the arts, to the larger business dealings and…
I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. Yesterday was Jorge Luis Borges’ 112th birthday. In case you haven’t heard of him, he is one of the most beloved Latin American writers of the 20th century. Google even celebrated the Argentine writer’s birthday with this Doodle. The Christian Science Monitor writes:…