Gathered here are ten hand-picked and carefully curated recommendations that might spark your curiosity this month:
I.
Haruki Murakami on how our challenges shape us:
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”
Source: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
II.
Q&A: In 2016, I crossed Vietnam from South to North on the back of a motorbike. We didn’t have licenses, and neither of us had been on a motorbike before. For one month straight, we went off the main highways and into the deep inlands, far from city lights. It turned out to be one of the best trips ever. Read on for the full story.
III.
Onderkin @ Undertheloupe
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VII.
On my mind this month: Advice is often a map drawn for someone else’s terrain. To adopt it wholesale is to assume your journey is identical. Read the full version of my mini-essay for The Hotpot over here.
VIII.
Definitely worth a visit: Rivoli 59. One of the coolest things I discovered during my last trip to Paris: in a former squat, different artists have their own studios on each floor to express their creativity. Each space is unique, and they’re all fantastic. You can even chat with them if you want to. Highly recommended!
IX.
A fun fact: The longest place name in the world is in New Zealand: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu. (no, it’s not my cat that walked over my keyboard. You can look it up.)
X.
In the spotlight this month:
Neel Korteweg’s Imaginairen. Beautiful portraits, born from chance ink blots and pure imagination. Available at Waanders.
