When book columnist Reia Li PO ‘24 first read Nghi Vo’s novel, “The Chosen and the Beautiful” (2021), she had mixed feelings. It wasn’t until she read Vo’s next book, “Siren Queen” (2022), that she understood why.
Books
Queer Asian Reads: Spirits unleashed in Zen Cho’s fantasy masterpiece
Columnist Reia Li PO ‘24 wanted a way to connect to Chinese traditions despite being physically separated from their place of origin. “Spirit Abroad,” a collection of short stories that puts Chinese and Malaysian mythological creatures in more modern contexts, allowed her to do just that.
The biblio-files: Whimsy meets the macabre in ‘Beautiful Darkness’
The graphic novel “Beautiful Darkness” questions whether the greatest horrors are to be found within human nature itself, writes Tomi Oyedeji-Olaniyan CM ’24.
Literary wanderings: Severed hands, hanging threads and unresolved endings
A book with an unresolved ending can be great. “At Night All Blood Is Black” is not, writes book columnist Ryan Lillestrand PZ `23.
The Biblio-files: How ‘The School for Good and Evil’ takes us down memory lane
Ten years later and the young adult series “The School for Good and Evil” is as nostalgic as ever, writes book columnist Tomi Oyedeji Olaniyan CM `23.
Literary wanderings: The poet who shows us the beauty of everyday moments
Frank O’Hara’s observational poetry inspired the artists of The New York School. It also inspires TSL book columnist Ryan Lillestrand PZ `23.
The biblio-files: How one man became the face of Halloween
Edgar Allan Poe is frequently associated with Halloween, but book columnist Tomi Oyedeji Olaniyan CM `23 asks the question: Should he be?
Literary wanderings: The haunting brilliance of Kawakami’s ‘Heaven’
Kawakami’s novel “Heaven” is a disturbing and gorgeous depiction of a Japanese middle school, writes book columnist Ryan Lillestrand PZ ’23.
The biblio-philes: The enduring relevance of ‘The Hobbit’
After finally delving into the world of “The Hobbit,” book columnist Tomi Oyedeji Olaniyan CM `23 affirms its themes are as relevant as ever.
Literary wanderings: The inimitable style of Joan Didion
Book columnist Ryan Lillestrand PZ `23 declares his love for Joan Didion’s writing, though he doesn’t dare imitate her signature style.