Some books drag you to the depths of your soul, deeper than the cold arctic ocean, where mindless cod hang from steel hooks, left behind by singing fishermen, desperate to cling onto a rock called Iceland. Some books catch your mind on their barbs and don’t let go.

Not many people know about the small but beautiful nation of Georgia, and even fewer know about its rich and turbulent history. More than you might expect, this long history was shaped and directed by powerful but uncelebrated women!

The question Japanese people like to ask me most frequently is why I study Japanese. I thought I’d address the matter here, clearly, once and for all. It gives me…

The other day a voice beamed through the air and convinced me that I should write about books. So in case this is boring, don’t blame me. What prompted the…

A precious moment, one unlike most, and yet so simple, that it only requires a couple of lines to sketch out. The grey stone crumbling bridge over an empty moat….

As a kid I never wanted to visit Vienna. I’m not sure why. I think I associated it with boring, gray skies, mediocre food, and a lack of liveliness. So…