E. M. Forster’s A Room with a View, beyond its exploration of class in Victorian Britain, also captures the tourism mania that gripped the country at the turn of the century. With the British Empire at its zenith, the continent and far-flung regions such as India, Egypt, and South Africa became accessible, exerting a powerful … Continue reading Forster’s ‘Room with a View’
The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris was a sensation when it appeared in the 1960s. It arrived at a moment defined by free love, the Vietnam War protests, the hippie movement, rising race consciousness, and a broader rethinking of gender. Into this atmosphere, Morris dropped the provocative idea that humans are no different from apes … Continue reading Desmond Morris’ ‘The Naked Ape’
Jane Eyre was written in 1847, when India was on track to becoming the crown jewel of the Raj. So the references to India in Bronte’s novel, though a surprise to me, were very much with keeping up with the world she inhabited. Towards the end of the novel, Eyre is proposed by the clergyman … Continue reading ‘India’ in ‘Jane Eyre’
Erica Jong burst into the literary-feminist scene in 1973 with the publication of her provocative novel Fear of Flying, a work that became emblematic of second-wave feminism. The book is also remembered for popularizing the term “zipless fuck” - a metaphor for a fantasy of a sexual encounter entirely free of emotional complications, power dynamics, … Continue reading Erica Jong on Ted Hughes’ Irresistibility
When I moved to Delhi in 2009, the Eloor Library in South Ex was what sustained me during the initial days of my struggle to settle down in the city. The library, like all its other branches across Kerala and the key metros was well stocked and covered every notable genre. Sadly, the place shut … Continue reading Ten Years, Seven Hundred Books, One Kindle
On the 25th of February 1956, Sylvia Plath, a Fulbright scholar in Cambridge met Ted Hughes for the first time and their steamy encounter went on to become part of the literary folklore surrounding their lives. To cut a long story short, they fell for each other with a mad passion and Plath ended up … Continue reading “Mad Passionate Abandon” – Sylvia Plath’s First Encounter with Ted Hughes
Pluribus: Though I don’t read Sci-Fi, I enjoy watching the genre on screen. The philosophical angles and the mind-bending scenarios always make it worthwhile. Pluribus didn’t disappoint and got me thinking about loneliness, Big Brother, conformity and free will. It was also nice to revisit the landscape of Breaking Bad – Arizona. Burn After Reading: … Continue reading What I Watched – March 2026
I spent 24 hours in Imphal. And in that brief window, gained a glimpse into the complex, fractured society of Manipur, thanks to the company of an erudite and deeply informed local resident. Manipur has always been a tinderbox due to its ethnic composition. The Meiteis, Kukis, Nagas and the Muslims form the main ethnic … Continue reading Imphal Notes
After watching all of Paul Thomas Anderson’s 10 movies, here’s my ranking: There Will be Blood One Battle After Another Licorice Pizza Boogie Nights Phantom Thread Magnolia Hard Eight The Master Punch Drunk Love Inherent Vice And the greatest scene across all his films should be this unforgettable three minute masterclass by Julianne Moore in … Continue reading Paul Thomas Anderson Movies Ranked
After reading up on the Islamic Revolution, I was on the lookout for something to watch and chanced upon this documentary titled: Iran: A Cinematographic Revolution. The 90 minute documentary chronicles the evolution of Iranian cinema beginning from the reign of the Shah till the early aughts when the theocracy was firmly in power. The … Continue reading Iran: A Cinematographic Revolution
