Before you travel to any new country, you should know a little about its history, food, art, language, and customs. Japan’s literature and culture are so rich and the best way to learn more is to tuck into a few Japanese novels by some of the best Japanese authors, as well as some fantastic travel …
It may – or may not – surprise you to hear that some of the most important classics of the 20th century were written by Czech authors. Of course, when you consider that Czech literature dates back to the 14th century and has been consistently valued culturally since then, perhaps it’s not so surprising. After …
How much do you really know about the history, cuisine, art, and culture of Romania? A country often defined by the legend of Dracula and a handful of medieval castles, Romania is so much more than that. The nation fell under the reigns of communist dictatorship and only broke free in 1989. Romanian cuisine is …
In so many ways, the women of East Asian literature are the prominent voices of their cultures today. In Japan and Korea especially, those writers who have the greatest clarity of mind and creative spirits are insightful, fascinating, and imaginative women. Women who speak for the sidelined and the unrepresented, women who show us our …
The Baltic states refer to the countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of which were once part of the Soviet Union. This is pretty monumental in understanding Baltic literature as a lot of it – at least what is available in English – has to do with WWII, communism, and the Soviet occupation. That …
We all know that China is the nation on everyone’s lips this century. Whether you’re into politics, trade, economics, cinema, travel, history, fashion, whatever your passion, China is a colossal talking point. But China is also flourishing in the realm of literature in translation. Chinese novels are some of the most ground-breaking and exciting books …
Rome is a city that certainly deserves its reputation – walking along the cobbled streets, you can’t help but feel the history coming alive around you and its thriving culture blowing you away every time. Many writers have been captivated by the Eternal City, as suggested by its frequent appearance in many fantastic books. Here …
Myanmar, once and still more famously known as Burma, is a Southeast Asian country that has been marred by so much conflict, subject to colonial and military control, and is now attempting to find its feet (all the while still making some pretty horrific political moves). Once a British colony, Myanmar gained independence in 1948 …
Ah, Paris. The world’s most romantic city could never be called truly romantic if it wasn’t for its legendary literature, powerful feminists, and groundbreaking philosophers. There is so much depth and beauty to Paris’ art, architecture, cuisine, and literary scene that it’s only fair to dig into some of it through some of the best …
Denmark is often celebrated as the happiest place on Earth today, and in our experience, that is honestly true. What makes Denmark so exciting as a country is the contrast between its happy, positive, and friendly modern world and the thrilling history of seafaring Vikings the land was once known for a thousand years ago. …
