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Podcast: Understanding the Israel Palestine Conflict
The Israeli Palestinian conflict is the ongoing struggle between Israelis and Palestinians that began in the mid-20th century. What we are seeing right now, and in the last few weeks, is only a glimpse of its decade-long history. So what is that history? And what is this conflict really about? We discuss all these questions… Read more
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Kanji: The Millennia-Old Rice Recipe
It is called jook or zhou or geng in China, zuk in Korea, chao bo in Vietnam, lugaw in Philippines, okayu in Japan, khao tom gung in Thailand. But its most popular name is of Indian origin – ‘congee’, which comes from the Tamil word kanji. What is it? We are talking about that wondrous,… Read more
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What is Good Writing? Steven Pinker Answers
Every writer, at least in her sane moments, yearns for her prose to be deemed good. Yet, what delineates quality writing from the mundane remains a mystery to many. While instincts often guide our judgements, isn’t there a more defined metric for literary excellence? Or to be more precise, let’s ask ourselves this simple question:… Read more
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Making Tea as per the 8th-Century Holy Scripture in 8 Hours
History may not forgive us for spending such little time and effort on tea-literature when there should be epics and legends written on this celestial nectar. Thankfully, certain Asian cultures will be spared, especially Chinese and Japanese, for they have done their part. So, those of us who love (and sometimes live for) tea must… Read more
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Writing with Clarity
Why do we write? In simple words, to express ourselves. Therefore, it is not only desirable but also necessary too that we focus on this aspect of writing. So, let’s explore a few key elements that add clarity to our writing. Structure of the sentence: Write a sentence in the simplest and the clearest way… Read more
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3 Reasons to Read Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea is a short novel by the American author Ernest Hemingway which also led him to win Nobel prize in literature. Published in 1952, The Old Man and the Sea is the story of Santiago – an ageing fisherman – who has gone eighty-four days without catching a fish. A… Read more
