BEIRUT: “Van Gogh and the Seasons” by Sjraar Heugten is based on an exhibition held at the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia and celebrates the artist’s connection with the natural world throughout his career.
The sumptuous coffee table book is a work of art in and of itself, but it is not light on text. Rather, the book features excerpts from the artist’s prolific correspondence. The Dutch post-Impressionist artist is one of the most famous painters in the world, but he was also a gifted letter writer as the book shows.
Readers can expect picturesque scenes of Arles, a town in the south of France, which Van Gogh described in a letter to his sister as boasting “a landscape (that) takes on tons of gold of every shade — green-gold, yellow-gold, red-gold, ditto bronze, copper. In short, from lemon-yellow to the full yellow.”
Speaking of yellow, it would be near impossible to collect together Van Gogh’s work without a nod to his iconic sunflowers. The artist painted several versions of his famous vase of subjects, the most well-known of which depicts yellow flowers in a yellow jug against a yellow wall — a fountain of colors brimming with ochres, golds and shades of corn.
This fascinating book explores Van Gogh’s captivation with nature and seasonal changes and takes the reader on an educational journey into why the master painter worked the way he did and what inspired him.
“I even work in the wheat fields at midday, in the full heat of the sun without any shade whatever. And there, I revel in it like a cicada,” he wrote in a letter in the summer of 1888.
According to the book, he took great joy in working out in the elements and did so until his death on July 29, 1890. He was 37-years-old and had sold just one painting, a far cry from the fame he was to gain posthumously.
This beautifully presented book allows the reader to explore a subject that has not yet been dealt with in the world of mainstream publishing — the impact of nature on the work of one of the greatest painters of the 19th century.
Book Review: Exploring Van Gogh’s obsession with the great outdoors
Book Review: Exploring Van Gogh’s obsession with the great outdoors
What We Are Reading Today: Adam Smith Reconsidered
Author: Paul Sagar
Adam Smith has long been recognized as the father of modern economics. More recently, scholars have emphasized his standing as a moral philosopher—one who was prepared to critique markets as well as to praise them. But Smith’s contributions to political theory are still underappreciated and relatively neglected.
In this bold, revisionary book, Paul Sagar argues that not only have the fundamentals of Smith’s political thought been widely misunderstood, but that once we understand them correctly, our estimations of Smith as economist and as moral philosopher must radically change.
Rather than seeing Smith either as the prophet of the free market, or as a moralist who thought the dangers of commerce lay primarily in the corrupting effects of trade, Sagar shows why Smith is more thoroughly a political thinker who made major contributions to the history of political thought.
What We Are Reading Today: Super Courses by Ken Bain
Book Review: ‘Rifqa’ by Mohammed El-Kurd
Mohammed El-Kurd’s “Rifqa” is a searing and lyrical exploration of identity, resistance and the enduring impact of colonization. Named after El-Kurd’s late grandmother, the poetry collection captures the Palestinian experience with an intensity that is both personal and profoundly universal.
Through vivid language and raw emotion, El-Kurd weaves together memories, history and the lived realities of occupation, crafting a work that is as much a tribute to resilience as it is a call to action.
Through poems that shift between tender recollections of family and sharp critiques of displacement and violence, El-Kurd creates a narrative that refuses to separate the personal from the political. This duality gives the work a profound resonance, as it reminds readers of the humanity at the core of resistance.
El-Kurd’s grandmother, Rifqa, emerges as a symbol of steadfastness in the face of oppression, her life embodying the spirit of defiance that runs through the collection.
His language is evocative and unrelenting, often blurring the lines between poetry and protest. His verses are charged with anger, grief and a fierce love for his homeland, making every word feel urgent and necessary.
Yet, amid the rage and sorrow, there are moments of quiet beauty — glimpses of family life, the olive trees of Jerusalem and the enduring cultural traditions that tether the poet to his roots. These moments serve as a poignant reminder of what is at stake, grounding the collection in the everyday lives and stories of Palestinians.
What sets “Rifqa” apart is its refusal to sanitize or soften its message. El-Kurd speaks truth to power with unapologetic clarity, confronting readers with the stark realities of occupation and the complicity of global systems in perpetuating injustice.
Yet, his voice is not only one of condemnation, but also of hope and resilience. The poems are a testament to the enduring spirit of a people who continue to fight for their land, their identity and their right to exist.
“Rifqa” is a powerful and deeply affecting work that demands to be read as a testament to the resilience of a people and the enduring strength of a grandmother’s legacy.
It is a book that stays with you long after the final page, urging you to listen, to feel and to act. Mohammed El-Kurd has crafted a work that is both a lament and a rallying cry, a reminder that poetry has the power to witness, to resist and to endure.
What We Are Reading Today: A Guide to the Anolis Lizards (Anoles) of Mainland Central and South America
Author: Steven Poe
Anoles are highly visible and aesthetically pleasing lizards that are abundant throughout Central and South America.
The subjects of countless evolutionary and ecological studies that have advanced our understanding of basic principles in biology, these colorful reptiles are notoriously difficult to identify, and species names are often confusing and inconsistent.
“A Guide to the Anolis Lizards (Anoles) of Mainland Central and South America” is the first book to enable the identification of all known species of anole in the region while establishing baseline knowledge for further research.
REVIEW: ‘Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster’ offers reanimated chaos in 4K
LONDON; The “Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster” has arrived, breathing new life into Capcom’s iconic open-world zombie classic.
Almost 20 years after the original’s release, this version strikes a fine balance between a remake and a remaster, modernizing visuals, controls and gameplay while retaining its chaotic charm. With 4K resolution, smoother frame rates and gameplay improvements, “Dead Rising’s” latest iteration has, in a sense, grown up with its audience — although “grown up” might not be the best description for a game where a cactus can be a weapon.
The remaster brings you back to Willamette, Colorado, where you play as the cocky, wise-cracking photojournalist Frank West. His mission? Survive a 72-hour real-time, in-game clock ticking down inside a mall overrun by zombies, with missions to complete, bosses to fight, and absurd items to wield.
The day-night cycle brings shifting challenges and horror-movie ambiance that change the feel of each hour. You’ll often find yourself toggling between planning missions and impulsively grabbing whatever is in sight to fend off the undead. The remaster’s refined graphics and 60fps frame rate make both these approaches more fluid, whether you’re grappling with zombies or sneaking a killer snapshot.
And yes, Frank’s camera skills still matter. In addition to navigating an endless crowd of brain-hungry zombies, the game rewards you for snapping high-quality photos, encouraging you to capture the grotesque and hilarious. This adds an amusing layer of strategy and humor to the game, which doesn’t take itself too seriously. The absurd world of Dead Rising still allows you to dress Frank up in a range of ridiculous costumes, turning him from a somber zombie slayer into a comical hero fighting against the cathedral of consumerism — the mall itself.
As you progress, Frank’s skills evolve, allowing you to transform him into a near-indestructible wrestler, body-slamming zombies and crowd-surfing his way to safety. Missions often involve rescuing NPCs and escorting them to safety, and a roster of larger-than-life “Psychopath” bosses keeps the action intense. Beneath the mindless zombie slaying lies a satirical critique of American consumerism that resonates more with time; the remaster’s updated look adds to the commentary, making the mall’s neon lights and cluttered shelves all the more biting.
Of course, not all issues have been exorcised in this remaster. Some glitches linger, like the odd lift button bug that can render what should be a deadly encounter into an easy escape. Plus, it’s a shame that Capcom didn’t implement a co-op mode — a feature that could have elevated the chaotic fun to new heights.
Ultimately, “Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster” is as humorous as it is brutal, blending laughs with thrilling tension. The game continues to draw players into Frank West’s absurdly dangerous world, now rendered in beautifully gruesome detail. It’s a fantastic journey back to a familiar, zombie-filled playground — ideal for longtime fans and newcomers alike who are ready to face the horde.
