“The Penelopiad” is a novella written by the acclaimed Canadian author Margaret Atwood. Published in 2005, it is part of the Canongate Myth Series, where contemporary authors rewrite ancient myths. Atwood’s retelling of Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” offers a feminist perspective, with Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, as the narrator. The novella is a …
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Iain McGilchrist’s book, “The Master and His Emissary,” is a fascinating exploration of the human brain and its impact on Western culture. In this book, McGilchrist argues that the two hemispheres of the brain have distinct and often opposing functions, with the left hemisphere dominating modern Western thought. He suggests that this dominance has led …
Kafka on the Shore is a novel by Haruki Murakami that explores the themes of identity, destiny, and the power of memory. The book tells the story of Kafka Tamura, a 15-year-old boy who runs away from home to escape a curse that predicts he will murder his father and sleep with his mother and …
The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin is a science fiction novel that has captivated readers worldwide. The first book in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, it tells the story of an alien civilization that is on the brink of destruction and its attempts to make contact with Earth. The book is set against the …
Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven is a post-apocalyptic novel set in a world where the majority of the population has been wiped out by a deadly virus. The story follows a group of traveling actors and musicians who perform Shakespearean plays and classical music in the ruins of civilization. Mandel’s novel has been praised …
Paolo Bacigalupi’s novel, The Water Knife, is a gripping and thought-provoking work of science fiction that explores the impact of climate change on the Southwestern United States. Set in the near future, the novel depicts a world where drought has devastated the region, leading to a fierce battle over the dwindling water supply of the …
Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere is a novel that takes readers on a journey through a magical realm coexisting with the familiar streets of London. The story follows Richard Mayhew, an unassuming businessman, who stumbles upon a girl bleeding on the sidewalk. He stops to help her, and his life is forever changed as he is drawn …
“The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break” is a novel by Steven Sherrill that tells the story of a mythical creature trying to navigate life in the modern world. The novel is a unique blend of fantasy and realism that explores themes of loneliness, isolation, and the struggle to fit in. The novel follows the Minotaur, …
The Bone People is a 1984 novel by New Zealand author Keri Hulme. The novel is set on the coast of the South Island of New Zealand and follows the lives of three characters who are isolated in different ways. The three characters are a reclusive artist, a mute child, and the child’s foster father. …
Momo by Michael Ende is a captivating fantasy novel that explores the concept of time and its importance in modern societies. The story follows Momo, a young orphan girl who possesses an extraordinary gift of listening. She lives outside a big city in the ruins of an amphitheater and owns nothing but what she finds …