Psst… Fight Club is Really All About Daddy Issues
Recently, I decided to give Chuck Palahniuk’s infamous Fight Club (1996) a read. As many would know, the novel has become quite the cultural phenomenon – I have heard the line “the first rule about fight club is you don’t talk about fight club” quoted a zillion times and David Fincher’s film adaptation has long […]
All About Love
To knowing, finding and receiving love
The Question of Love in Kokoro, by Natsume Soseki
僕の心The Question of Love in Kokoro, by Natsume Soseki
Sushi and Tapas: Female Empowerment Through The Telling of Personal Stories
We all travel through different journeys in life based on a myriad of factors, as things like social status, birth place, and life outlook, among many others, can influence and shape our life trajectories in very intricate ways. And while our lives can be so different, we are still able to find common experiences, share […]
Finding Hope in Art: Reviewing Yamaguchi’s Blue Period
“If it looks blue to you, then anything can be blue, whether it’s an apple or a rabbit.” – Blue Period, Chapter 1. Note: This review attempts to be as spoiler-free as possible, in order to encourage viewers to explore this series themselves! Most of what will be explicitly discussed will be from the first […]
I Was Never A Bookworm
When people think of English Literature majors, they often picture someone bespectacled, lost in a fictional world in front of piles of books in a cafe. Perhaps in your mind, you will even go beyond to imagine them donned in formal clothing, topped off with a neat bow tie. Underscoring these assumptions is the notion […]
The Last Lecture: Life Lessons From Childhood Dreams
When we think of childhood dreams, we may think about simple things like winning the most soft toys from claw machines in game carnivals, or loftier ones like wanting to be an astronaut or a singer in future. For Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, childhood dreams had a special meaning for him […]
The Keepers of Stories: Unveiling the Magic of SingLit
Planning to venture into the world of SingLit now that finals are almost over? If you’re looking for a light and easy read, here’s one I would recommend for a start. I’ve always been a fan of historical fiction, magical realism, and fantasy. So, when I first saw The Keepers of Stories, I knew I […]
The Everywoman, Kim Jiyoung
One of my favourite reads this semester is Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo. This book caused quite the sensation in Korea when it was published in 2016 – couples have broken up over the contents of it, and celebrities have come under fire for promoting the reading of it. Curious about what was […]
Memoirs of a Geisha: A trainwreck of cultural violation
Lo and behold: one of the most controversial books I have ever read – and while I see the need to be charitable about books insofar that it represents the authorial self and values, I have no qualms about criticising this. Honestly, even within my reading circle, everyone agrees that this book is quite a […]
No Longer Human, A Japanese Literary Classic
The second best selling novel of all time in Japan after Natsume Soseki’s Kokoro, No longer human is a poignant, heart-wrenching tale of alienation, sorrow and the human condition. As we read the novel, we track the progress of a tragic yet beautiful figure, Yozo Oba, as he offers melancholic yet comic facets of his […]
Secure, Contain, Protect: Diving into the Mythos of the SCP Wiki
What does horror mean to you? Is it the rush of adrenaline that rushes through your veins after a jumpscare? Is it the creeping dread that lingers after an eerie silence in a movie? Is it the existential terror that comes from the deep contemplation of your choices in life (whilst procrastinating your assignments)? Whatever […]
On The Road: A Journey on Singapore’s Transformation Through Time
Singapore has come a long way economically, socially, and politically. Our transformation from a humble settlement to a global trading hub, the building up of harmonious racial and religious ties amongst our people, and the inclusion of more diverse voices in our parliament are just some of the achievements we have amassed over the years. […]
What Makes a Story Scary?
With Halloween and the spooky season coming up, Young Goodman Brown (YGB) by Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the first few stories to come to my mind. I remember feeling rather uneasy upon finishing it, pondering over a myriad of unanswered questions. Whether it was the haunting images or the inconclusive ending, something about the […]
How We Return to the Good Old Days
Remember the days when you would stay up all night reading instead of watching Netflix? We didn’t turn to Instagram or TikTok when we got bored; we had books. What changed? Why have we gone from reading books on the toilet to endlessly scrolling through pictures and videos of people we don’t even know till […]
Friendships found in 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
A Review of 84, Charing Cross Road – Helene Hanff Esteemed as one of my favourite epistolary books (and in antithesis to this, Pamela by Samuel Richardson), I read Helene Hanff’s 84, Charing Cross Road a little while ago with some bookish friends in February. Since I tend to go into novels with little to […]
How Should One Read a Book?
In addition to experimenting with literary form and writing novels that would come to define 20th-century English Literature, Virginia Woolf was a prolific thinker and essayist on topics that ranged from women’s rights to the changing role of art in her times. Among her musings is a piece titled “How Should One Read a Book?”, where […]
Reading with the ReadNUS Team
September is National Literacy Month! Beyond deeper benefits such as developing stronger vocabulary or expanding your horizons, reading also serves as a time or teleportation machine, bringing us to different worlds.The ReadNUS Team believes that reading is for everyone. We hope that through these recommendations or tips, you will feel inspired to either continue your […]
A Familial Journey of Deviants in Young Singapore
For many young adults, our impression of Singapore in the 1970s is likely one influenced by history books and stories from our parents, grandparents and other older relatives. I am no exception, which is why I particularly loved the vivid details of post-independence Singapore which Balli Kaur Jaswal has painted in her book, Inheritance, that […]
Wistful Enigmas: Navigating the tale of Kappa Quartet
“What does it mean to be in possession of something nobody has seen before?” This is the question posed in the description of Kappa Quartet, a novel which delves into the titular mythos of Kappas, and explores how a chance encounter leads to a rippling effect towards a diverse cast of enigmatic characters.Written by Daryl […]
The Last Lesson of Mrs De Souza Review
Books like The Last Lesson of Mrs De Souza touch on stories of censorship, our repressed culture, and perhaps its consequences on some of our beliefs and actions. But does this uniquely Singaporean viewpoint always bring about more enjoyment or relatability?
6 Valuable Takeaways from An Unexpected Journey: Path to the Presidency
Most of us in our 20s might remember seeing the portraits of President S.R. Nathan and his wife Umi gracing the school hall in our primary school days, as we sang the national anthem and gathered for other activities. His appearances at yearly National Day Parades and on TV to raise funds for the President’s […]
A Promised Land is a Memoir of Many Firsts
I distinctly remember the day I read about Obama’s win in our local papers, back when I was in Junior College. The historic moment, while far from our shores, could also be felt in my school as we held lively discussions about race, change and hope in our classes. With close to a decade passing since that moment, we now have some length of hindsight to reflect on the legacy of the Obama administration. I have no doubt that the experts – the historians, researchers, and policy think tanks, will be able to give us massive anthologies about Obama’s successes and failures in time to come. What surprised me, however, was how detailed and self-examining A Promised Land turned out to be.
The Book Thief: A Thematic Analysis
The first literary science fiction book I ever read was The Mote in God’s Eye jointly written by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven. My previous experience of the genre had been restricted to flashy blockbusters and their associated spin-off content. The book was my first exposure to written science fiction, which I have been a lifelong fan of ever since.
Book Review: Project Hail Mary
The first literary science fiction book I ever read was The Mote in God’s Eye jointly written by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven. My previous experience of the genre had been restricted to flashy blockbusters and their associated spin-off content. The book was my first exposure to written science fiction, which I have been a lifelong fan of ever since.
The Midnight Library Tackles Regret and Choices in a Quirky Way
I found the title of The Midnight Library to be particularly intriguing. In my head, I’m thinking of libraries with grand architecture and hallways full of hidden secrets and rare books.
The library described in the book turned out to be different from what I had imagined, although it was intriguing all the same. As the main character, Nora Seed, traverses through her different life possibilities, the library becomes the main place where she returns to reflect upon the paths she could have chosen.
Personal Reflections on My Reading Journey
Come to think of it, my reading journey was an unexpected one. When I was young, I wasn’t particularly interested in books or trips to the library. I had little interest in reading, and my parents didn’t inculcate in my siblings and me such a hobby. The only instances when I got close to books […]
Book Review: From The Ashes
In From the Ashes, Jesse Thistle brings readers on a personal journey from being abandoned, becoming homeless and coming full circle in finding his way and achieving academic success as the first student in his university to clinch the Canada Governor General’s Silver Medal.
Lirra Visits: Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop
In this final article in our book review series, we bring readers to the Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop, a concept store by Epigram Books and huggs coffee and the only bookstore in Singapore to sell all-Singapore books.
Hegel’s Messiness and Metaphilosophy
The origins of Hegel’s writing of the Phenomenology of Spirit (henceforth Phenomenology) is apparently a stuff of legend. Hegel wrote a large chunk of the main texts before adding an “Introduction” and a “Preface” two years later. This resulted in relatively messy texts which led some scholars to interpret the Phenomenology as a palimpsest. Most famously, the German philosopher, Rudolf Haym, deconstructed that text as a combination of two texts, “one overlaid on the other with no internal principle of order” (Pippin, 1993).
Ancient Stories Retold: The Appeal of Myths and Legends in Fiction
My introduction to Greek mythology was through the Percy Jackson book series written by Rick Riordan. I was absolutely engrossed with the elaborate descriptions of the Titans, Gods and mystical elements that spanned the five-book series. Names like Hermes, Demeter and Kronos jumped at me, and I would spend hours researching on Wikipedia about these […]
A Take on SINGLIT: Books I Think Every Local Should Read
Our local literary scene has come a long way. It is now so vibrant, filled with many voices adding flavour to the field. This has had important social implications. It is, after all, our local authors who are able to tap on and write about their lived experiences not only as Singaporeans, but also as […]
Lirra Visits: The Moon
In this second article in our book review series, we bring readers to The Moon, an establishment that describes itself as a bookstore, café and event space highlighting authors and stories historically excluded from the centre of publishing.
Best Audiobook Apps
For many individuals, reading may be something that you would like to do but cannot afford to due to your busy lifestyle. Well, here’s a different alternative that you can go for. Audiobooks. It allows you to listen to books on the go. Simply just check out the titles on the audiobook app and download […]
Tips to Read More (that worked for me)
It’s already March?? If your New Year Resolution in 2021 is to “read more books,” you are in luck because I will be sharing 3 tips to read more this year which I have found helpful.
5 Award-winning Female Authors to be Inspired By
This International Women’s Day, we’d like to shine a spotlight on some of the award-winning female authors who have been turning pages in the literary scene around the world! From Poland to America to our very own shores in Singapore, here are five female authors you should look out for in your next read:
What The Family Tells Us About Love And Romance: An Afterthought
A revered Chinese writer who lived through the 1919 May Fourth Movement, Ba Jin(巴金)(pseudonym)’s writings marked the end of an era and heralded the beginning of a new one. He writes with such force that penetrates one’s heart’s deepest compartments and with such imagination that was unfathomable of his time.A key classic of Ba Jin’s […]
Rereading The Darker Themes of Harry Potter as an Adult
Harry Potter was the very first book that I read on my own as a child. Back then, its author, J.K Rowling, was still actively writing her 7-book fantasy epic, so you can imagine how alive and crazy the fandom was as we waited impatiently for the next book to be published. My friends and […]
The Space Opera Subgenre and the Future of the Monoculture
2019 was arguably the year in which the monoculture as we knew it came to an end. We saw three of the biggest intellectual properties reach the end of their chapters – the Infinity Saga (of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) ended with Avengers Endgame; Game of Thrones ended with Season 8 and the Skywalker Saga […]
Lirra Visits: The Book Cafe
Greetings, fellow readers! This semester, we will be taking you on a journey to explore book cafes in Singapore through a series of reviews starting this month. Through this series, we hope to inspire you with new places to explore in your journey of reading. The first café we have featured here is The Book […]
The Queens Gambit: A Thematic Analysis
From the beginning of the series, it becomes apparent that Beth Hamon struggles with addiction and is mentally distressed. She believes that she needs tranquilliser pills in order for her to excel at chess. “It’s an entire world of just 64 squares. I feel safe in it. I can control it.” Beth has very little agency in the early parts of her life when she loses her mother and moves into the orphanage. Chess gives her a chance to be in control…
Get Inspired by Lirra’s Favourite 20 Books of 2020!
Readers, this may just be the year for you. Whether you’ve fallen back in love with reading, or you’ve finally decided to pick up that dusty paperback on your shelf as you study or work from home, you – our readers, have responded enthusiastically to our call for your favourite books of 2020. The team […]