@2009 @2019 Review by Musheera Zahra, a student "Like a Diamond in the Sky," written by Shazia Omar, is a powerful and poignant narrative that delves into the complexities of addiction, societal pressure, and personal redemption. Set in Dhaka, Bangladesh, this novel offers an unflinching look at the lives of young people grappling with the … Continue reading #BangladeshiLitMonth: Like a Diamond in the Sky, by Shazia Omar
#IntlYALitMonth Review: Blue Squared
Review by Melitta von Pflug Please be advised that this review includes references to eating disorders and suicide. Silence keeps the structure of us from falling apart. That was how things worked in the unnamed protagonist’s family in this verse novel from Hong Kong by Luna Orchid, Blue Squared. For readers with experience growing up in an Asian household, … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth Review: Blue Squared
#EndangeredAlphabets: Where Are We Going, Where Have We Been?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J-lQuyr0Yw&list=PLYG37Sb2buKjaMtjztHjDc5pSS1a1jorr&index=12 My month here is almost over, and I've taken you all to so many places around the world, and brought up so many ideas about the nature and purpose of writing that it's not easy to wrap everything up. So I'm going to steal from myself, and offer you the wrap-up I created for … Continue reading #EndangeredAlphabets: Where Are We Going, Where Have We Been?
#EndangeredAlphabets: How Do You Go About Reviving a Traditional Script? Case Study: Bali
"Suksma," or "Thank you," in the traditional Balinese language and script. Photo and carving by the author. Fairly often I get asked: what does it take to revive a traditional script that has been unused, or largely unused, for years? Decades? Centuries? Much less often, I actually have a clear, detailed answer. In this case, … Continue reading #EndangeredAlphabets: How Do You Go About Reviving a Traditional Script? Case Study: Bali
#EndangeredAlphabets: Impeaching the Ghosts: Writing and Magic
Batak pustaha. Image courtesy of the Incunabula Library. I was on Twitter the other day and came across a tweet from Philip Boyes of the University of Cambridge, an archaeologist and linguist working on the Bronze and Iron Age Levant. He had been researching early Chinese handwriting manuals and came across this passage: “Strangely, it … Continue reading #EndangeredAlphabets: Impeaching the Ghosts: Writing and Magic
#EndangeredAlphabets: Another Script Author Murdered
Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pahauh Hmong script One of the most interesting discoveries results of research by the Endangered Alphabets Project is that fully half of all scripts in use around the world today were not adopted and/or adapted from an existing script—they were invented by an individual or … Continue reading #EndangeredAlphabets: Another Script Author Murdered
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 🇰🇵: Three Days in That Autumn by Pak Wanseo, tr. Ryu Sukhee
In a Nutshell: This is a slightly upsetting yet beautiful and insightful read with a positive ending. Three Days in That Autumn is a 87 page novella that I raced through. This novella tells the story of a gynaecologist, we meet her as she approaches the final three days of her working life before retiring. She … Continue reading Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 🇰🇵: Three Days in That Autumn by Pak Wanseo, tr. Ryu Sukhee
Asian Titles celebrating UN Sustainable Development Goals & Social Emotional Learning
Thanks to the AFCC (Asian Festival of Children's Content) and the Singapore Book Council Singapore Book Council / AFCC (Asian Festival of Children's Content) Book recommendations for children and young adults which support the understanding of the UN 2030 Agenda -- i.e., the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (the SDGs)-- set in 2015, with specific targets and … Continue reading Asian Titles celebrating UN Sustainable Development Goals & Social Emotional Learning
#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Three Water Drop Brothers
A long, long time ago, planet Earth was born.Planet Earth was very, very hot.Lava gushed out of the ground—Here, there, and everywhere—creating vapor.Since lava is heavy, It flowed down, down, down.And since vapor is light,It floated up, up, up,Turning into clouds in the sky So starts The Three Water Drop Brothers, a charming, surprisingly complete … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Three Water Drop Brothers
#INTLYALITMONTH: My Brilliant Life by Ae-Ran Kim
Review by Mairin Raisdana My Brilliant Life by Ae-Ran Kim “I’m the youngest here, but I’ve probably lived the longest . . . When I’m really sick, the days feel so long. One minute feels like one hour. Sometimes it feels like an eternity. I’ve lived that so many times.” My Brilliant Life is the … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: My Brilliant Life by Ae-Ran Kim
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 