Everyone deserves their dignity and peace of mind — Is a child born if you don’t put their picture up on the internet? Perhaps not. Have you really paid your respects to a deceased unless your social media is updated with a heart-wrenching caption along with a picture of you both hugging? It is doubtful, too. Or that is…

Her writing is authentic yet pretentious; artless yet affected — Connell, the protagonist of Sally Rooney’s novel ‘Normal People’, is reading Jane Austen’s classic Emma one night. The library closes just as he reaches the passage where Mr. Knightly is preparing to marry Harriet. Not knowing the outcome, he must walk home “in a state of strange emotional agitation.” That…

Best Gifts for Book Lovers on Valentine’s Day — In the middle of love stories, I will pause to sigh and wonder. How different these people are from me, yet how well I understand their feelings. From dozens of books that touched my heart, here are 14 personal recommendations: 1. If you’re looking for Classic Romance, read Emma by…

Qian Julie Wang’s memoir ‘Beautiful Country’ is all that a girl’s childhood should not be — There exists a rare breed of people who were sent to this earth to write. They send you a work email, and it reads like a love letter. They copy edit an advertisement, and tears wander down your cheeks. And when they write a book… when they write a book…

Plus 7 honorable mentions, 9 readable recommendations, and 10 books that did not impress — In 2021, I read 51 books, completing my personal Goodreads challenge. This year was a mostly solitary year for me like for everyone else, and books were my company. I sought books that would soothe me, enliven me, and fill me with joy. …

What does marriage mean to you? So many things… — Today is our seventh wedding anniversary. To me, his companionship has been a respite and solace. You were sent to this earth to comfort me, I often say to him. This November, we took a major life decision. A few days later, I realized I wasn’t happy about it. “I…

Our bodies, surnames, titles, assets, authority, earnings — are they really ours? — The evening has been wonderful. The conversation is romantic, the flickering lights enchanting, and the food utterly delicious. I look carefully through the menu to choose exotic-sounding dishes, the most vibrant-looking drinks. At last, sleepy and content, I ask for the bill. …

Read the novel “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” to find out — “Everything began with the boys, and it felt like the right, natural thing.” In Nepal, among a tiny group of people that prides itself on being progressive and worldly, it has become quite fashionable to state, “I want a daughter.” It will sound hurtful to a son who might appear…

Marjan Kamali’s ‘The Stationery Shop’ is a tender Iranian romance — The year is 1953, the country is Iran. Prime Minister Mossadegh’s supporters are secretly rallying for him, gathering forces and frantically striving to stop his potential oust. Meanwhile, the monarchists are in a frenzy, sniping at anyone who dares to speak up against their beloved Shah. Amid this chaos, seventeen-year-old…