Why do we feel understood by fictional characters?
People read fiction for various reasons. Some are drawn to the excitement of a plot, others to the comfort of escaping reality. There is something peaceful about sitting in a…
More than Sound: Listening to What Makes Us Human
Music is everywhere. It fills elevators, headphones, childhood bedrooms, stadiums, and quiet moments we did not know needed sound. It exists before we learn how to speak and stays with…
The Enlightenment: An Intellectual Revolution and the Foundations of the Modern World
A World Ready for Change This movement came to life during the eighteenth century, a period in which European societies were marked by extreme social inequalities, strong religious authority, and…
Recognition Isn’t Justice: Taiwan’s Indigenous People and the Unfinished Promise of Equality
Although Taiwan’s laws recognize Indigenous peoples’ rights, their limited implementation and unequal recognition reveal how legal justice can exist on paper but not in reality. I walk through a Taiwanese…
How First Encounters in Fiction (And In Life) Shape One’s Destiny and Identity
Even the most unremarkable first encounter with another person can leave a profound impression on one’s personality, forming subconscious projections and subtly shaping a connection that might develop in the…
Writing and Espionage: 7 Notable Literary Figures Who Were Also Spies
Professional espionage is not a common item in a writer’s bio, but those who have it usually show a remarkable talent for building a sense of intrigue, morally complex characters,…
Bookstagram’s Top 10 Books of the 21st Century
When The New York Times Book Review published its list of The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century earlier this year, thousands of readers reacted with criticism. The post…