A nine-year-old Oskar Schell steers New York City on a quest to find the secrets of a mysterious key and its connection to his father, who died in the collapse of the World Trade Center on 09/11. Since his father’s death, Oskar struggles with insomnia, panic attacks, and depression. He often describes the feeling of depression as wearing heavy boots and deals with this by giving himself bruises. Read more
We’ve all been there — stuck at the airport, glancing at the clock, refreshing your phone, and then looking around at the endless sea of travelers. It’s that awkward, waiting moment we all know too well. But what if you could turn those minutes into something much more exciting? But what if with just the press of a button, you could get your hands on a short story — whether it’s a quick one-minute escape or a deeper three- or five-minute read. Read more
On average, I read about 50 books a year. That sounds like a lot—until you do the math. If I were to live another 42 years (which is exactly how old I am now), that means I have time for just 2,100 more books in this lifetime. That number? It gives me instant literary anxiety. The kind where you start second-guessing every page you turn.
Because here’s the thing: when you realise your reading life is, in fact, finite, you start asking tough questions. Like: Should I keep reading this book that hasn’t sparked anything in me after the first 30 pages? Or do I gently close it, thank it for its time, and move on to another—one that might actually teach me something real? Read more
Love changes life. True love does not care about religion, culture, age… These rules of love belong to Shams of Tabriz, the character of The Forty Rules of Love written by Elif Shafak.
Rule 1:
How we see God is a direct reflection of how we see ourselves. If God brings to mind mostly fear and blame, it means there is too much fear and blame welling inside us. If we see God as full of love and compassion, so are we. Read more
Every year, without fail, I scribble down in a notebook with The Little Prince on the cover all the books I’ve read. It’s become a ritual of sorts—one part record-keeping, one part quiet joy. Some people track their steps, I track my stories.
Whenever a book leaves a mark on me, the kind that stays with you like the smell of rain on warm pavement, I add a little heart next to the title. If I think it’s something my daughter might love one day, I write the letter J beside it—J for her name, for joy, for the future reader I’m secretly raising under my wing.
I devoured The Goldfinch with an eagerness I didn’t expect. At first, I had my doubts—1108 pages?! (yes, the Litera edition is no joke.) I thought there was no way I’d make it to the end. But then that small painting pulled me in like a secret passageway, and from there… well, let’s just say I barely slept, barely ate, and ignored most adult responsibilities for almost two weeks.
Donna Tartt’s third novel, published in 2013 and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2014, is more than just a literary success—it’s a hypnotic story about beauty, grief, survival, and fate. It’s about the inexplicable ways in which a painting, a person, or a fleeting moment can shape a life forever.
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