• The Meaning of Short Story

    The central question to be considered in any discussion of the short story is what do we mean by short. Being short does not mean being slight. A short story should be long in depth and should give us an experience of meaning. This naturally brings up the awful question of what kind of a…

  • Happy Endings: A Short Story by Margaret Atwood

    John and Mary meet. What happens next? If you want a happy ending, try A. A John and Mary fall in love and get married. They both have worthwhile and remunerative jobs which they find stimulating and challenging. They buy a charming house. Real estate values go up. Eventually, they can afford live-in help, they…

  • The School of Life: Our Need for Emotional Education

    You probably already know about The School of Life. It is a collective of psychologists, philosophers and writers operating under a common brand. Started by the writer and philosopher Alain de Botton, The School of Life is a place to learn all the wisdom that truly matters in our lives. They write books, create youtube…

  • This Book Predicted the Russian Conflict Years Ago

    It’s not rare to see a prophecy mentioned in a book coming true. Getting hold of a book which predicts future events with pinpoint accuracy feels exciting too. (Except when these events include wars and violent conflicts, in which case, we regret and wonder why we didn’t read it earlier.) This is precisely the case…

  • Ancient Parenting Advice from The Tao Te Ching

    THE TAO TE CHING was written more than twenty-five hundred years ago. Its authorship is shrouded by legend but is attributed to the legendary Chinese sage, Lao Tzu. It is a book of practical advice for leaders and philosophers, attempting to express glimpses of the inexpressible Tao, or “The Way”. Legend has it that Lao…

  • A 2500-Year-Old Letter from a Jewish Father to Son

    Egypt (475 BCE) IN THE BEGINNING — not the imagined beginning of patriarchs and prophets, and certainly not the beginning of the whole universe, just the documented beginning of ordinary Jews — in that beginning, a father and mother were worrying about their son. This son, a soldier boy, was called Shelomam. His father was…

  • How to Make Soma Rasa – the Drink of Hindu Gods

    How does one prepare Soma Rasa, the sacred drink of Hindu Gods? Let’s find out here.

  • Can Men Live Without Women?

    Can men live without women? And if they can, what would their life be like, in such a scenario? It’s a depressing thought. Thankfully, we have literature, which means we can probe this question with a pinch of amusement.