Israr Hasan

Travis Dandro’s King of King Court: A Memoir (Drawn & Quarterly, 2019) is a large, dense book that reads light and fast. The coming of age story is packed with the raw emotional power of the author’s traumatic childhood.

The lockdown following the global Covid-19 pandemic has shrunk the office space from a shared space saturated with buzzing colleagues to largely solitary confinement in a room with a laptop, pencil, notepad, and yes, the most important accessory, good internet connectivity.

With its origins going back as far as 5,000 years, green tea is commonly drunk in a serene emerald green tint.

Since the onslaught of the coronavirus, many of us have been cooped up in our homes far away from the usual hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle.

Korean literature has been enjoying a literary renaissance for quite some time through translation, from the likes of Hang Kang’s beguiling yet gruesome novel, The Vegetarian (2007) to Yeonmi Park’s heart wrenching memoir, In Order to Live (2015).

As we spend more time whiling away our time on Netflix or any other streaming service during the quarantine period, we should also be acutely aware of the importance of self-care in our times of compulsory isolation.

Social media has also not been left untouched as proponents and distractors of social distancing battle it out. The world of technology likewise has its fair share of arguments with the latest battle-taking place between tech billionaires of Silicon Valley, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg on the easing down of lockdowns.

Be it in office boardrooms, workplaces or even our own bedrooms with our gadgets and computers/laptops, there is one common denominator we are bound to find in all three — the swivel chair, more commonly known as the revolving chair.

The Gulshan Baking Company (GBC) had its inauguration on 18 December, 2019, when the Renaissance Dhaka Gulshan Hotel, a part of the esteemed Marriott International portfolio, made its grand debut in Bangladesh.

Two of the most thrilling biopics have knocked their way into our screens this summer: Tesla and Radioactive. One, which many would argue, is a testament to the afterlife resurgence of a reclusive and much-underappreciated scientist while the latter deals with a rich scientific legacy cemented on fighting the societal evils of sexism, xenophobia, and poverty.

TikTok has breathed in a completely new possibility of whiling away one's time other than having meetings on Zoom or chilling with Netflix. While both of the latter activities are primarily connected to work and solitary leisure hours, TikTok acts as a portal of unlimited creative pursuits through dancing, lip-syncing, and memes.

The raging pandemic has put a painful bind on publishers and readers alike hindering physical and social mobility. This has resulted in the book lovers' paradise known as Nilkhet being shut down meaning bibliophiles cannot have the chance to get hold of their beloved hardcover books.

With a significant decrease in the number of deliveries ordered and less dining happening outside in the current situation, many of us now find ourselves spending longer periods of time with children and other family members at home, 24/7.

With the release of Apple TV's Foundation TV series, based on Asimov's most famous storybook collection, "The Foundation" series, his legacy remains firmly cemented on all of our minds. Here are a few books we should read to gain a deeper insight into the mind of the titan literary polymath.

The “sharbat” or “sherbet” is commonplace on everyone’s table during this time of stifling heat of the monsoon season. The sherbet acts as a cool drink composed of fruits and herbs serving as a stimulant and energiser at the same time.

As we head into another extended phase of social distancing and public lockdowns, many of us often look to old passions such as video games to settle old scores with our erstwhile younger self and at the same time, to seek the old adrenaline rush that would keep us awake many nights, mess up study hours, and occasionally be a point of contention between our parents.

For many of us, coffee remains an embedded part of life; a go-to beverage at all times and an aid in running our day-to-day activities. Even during the month of Ramadan, many of us like a cup of hot brewed coffee to seal the day with some raw energy and bring order to our chaotic minds.

The current coronavirus pandemic has created giant seismic shifts in our day-to-day living and has presented us with a new set of challenges.

As well as fiction and literary greats, topics this year will include discussions about the Covid-19 pandemic, world affairs, art, economics, and global health. What is still gratifying and mind-boggling is that the festival will be conducting 80 events, all of which will keep us dutifully entertained to the say the very least.

With the Covid-19 pandemic raging on with no sign of a cure in proximity and tight lockdowns placed throughout the world, our lives have also taken a seismic shift from students having to attend online classes to many of us working from home to conferences and workshops all being held online.