books i bought recently

The Joy of Bookshops

I recently visited a bookshop for the first time in ages. Browsing the shelves, picking up books at random, reading back covers and ruffling through the pages was a true joy.
Bridgetown on the eve of Barbados becoming a republic

Symbols Matter

As Barbados becomes a republic, there's a bizarre disconnect between the way foreign media and local people are framing what's happening.

Digging Myself Out

This is not an apology post. More of a commitment to myself to give more time to things I value, like blogging regularly.
Group of train personnel from Transiberiana d'Italia

The best of people

The more I see of the world, the more I realise that we’re really quite limited as a species. In small groups, we can have quite an incredible capacity for doing good. We can be kind, compassionate, friendly, and generally amazing.…

Halcyon Days

The phrase “halcyon days” has always meant nothing more to me than general nostalgia. Since moving to Crete, and more particularly since spending winter here, I’ve learned its original, much more specific meaning. Winters here are very mild compared to…