What We Are Reading Today: ‘Words Under the Words’

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Updated 14 October 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Words Under the Words’

Author: Naomi Shihab Nye

Palestinian American poet Naomi Shihab Nye’s book “Words Under the Words” is a moving and deeply personal collection of poetry that seamlessly weaves together themes and threads of identity, displacement and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Born to a Palestinian father and American mother, Nye often uses her upbringing as inspiration for her poems.

“The Traveling Onion,” is perhaps my favorite poem in the book. She uses a quote from “Better Living Cookbook” to set the stage. She writes: “When I think how far the onion has traveled just to enter my stew today, I could kneel and praise all small, forgotten miracles, crackly paper peeling on the drainboard, pearly layers in smooth agreement, the way knife enters onion, and onion falls apart on the chopping block, a history revealed.”

She then writes: “And I would never scold the onion for causing tears … how at meal, we sit and eat, commenting on texture of meat or herbal aroma but never on the translucence of onion, now limp, now divided, or its traditionally honorable career: for the sake of others, disappear.”

The poem about the onion is not just about an onion, it is about much more. Many of her other poems offer the same food for thought, although not always when exploring cuisine or culture.

Her poetry often touches on themes of family, memory, displacement and finding common ground in different worlds. Known for her crisp, clear and evocative language, Nye captures the beauty of everyday life and the emotional nuances within personal and cultural histories. “Words Under the Words” is a powerful exploration of identity and seeking community connection.

Her language is simple but not too simplified. She makes everyday moments and objects feel significant and special while allowing us all to look into her life as we collectively cut a slice of life and devour the deeper philosophical and political issues that still ring true today, nearly 30 years after she published the book in 1995.

The collection stands out for its emotional honesty and its ability to connect personal experiences with the broader social and political contexts — especially around themes of exile and belonging. It is still relevant today.

The woman on the cover is Nye’s grandmother, who was a lively and significant figure in her work.

 

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer’

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Updated 07 June 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer’

  • Backman transforms personal pain into collective catharsis

Author: Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman captures the unraveling of a mind with devastating tenderness in his novella “And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer.”

This spare yet monumental novella, published in 2016, traces dementia’s heartbreak through intimate dialogues between a grandfather and grandson. Its power lies not in tragedy, but in love’s fierce endurance against oblivion.  

Grandpa is trapped in a shrinking mental town square. He navigates fragmented conversations with grandson Noah (whom he refers to as Noahnoah), clutches vanishing memories, and wrestles with unspoken tensions with his son, Ted. All while preparing for the final goodbye — to others and himself.

The shrinking square is dementia’s cruel architecture made visceral. Yet within his exchanges with his grandson, luminous defiance shines. Gentle jokes. Shared secrets. Proof that love outruns oblivion.

Backman’s triumph is avoiding sentimentality. No manipulative tears here, just raw honesty: Grandpa’s panic when words fail, Ted’s helpless anger, Noahnoah’s childhood wisdom becoming the family’s compass. Generational bonds offer lifelines. Grandpa lives in the stories, not his head.

The resonance is universal. Readers who are familiar with dementia’s path will recognize the misplaced keys, the names that vanish, the sudden foreignness of familiar rooms. Backman transforms personal pain into collective catharsis.

A minor flaw surfaces though: Ted’s perspective aches for deeper exploration. His pain lingers tantalizingly unresolved.

My final verdict is that one must devour this in one sitting. Tissues mandatory. For anyone who loves, or has loved, someone slipping away, this story can become an anchor.

 


What We Are Reading Today: The Earth Transformed

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Updated 07 June 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: The Earth Transformed

  • Frankopan shows that when past empires failed to act sustainably, they were met with catastrophe

Author: Peter Frankopan

"The Earth Transformed" reveals how climate change has dramatically shaped the development — and demise — of civilizations across time.
Peter Frankopan argues that nature has always played a fundamental role in the writing of history.

Frankopan shows that when past empires failed to act sustainably, they were met with catastrophe. Blending brilliant historical writing and cutting-edge scientific research, the book will radically reframe the way we look at the world and our future.

 


What We Are Reading Today: The World at First Light

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Updated 06 June 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: The World at First Light

  • In The World at First Light, historian Bernd Roeck explores the cultural and historical preconditions that enabled the European Renaissance

Author: Bernd Roeck

The cultural epoch we know as the Renaissance emerged at a certain time and in a certain place. Why then and not earlier? Why there and not elsewhere? In The World at First Light, historian Bernd Roeck explores the cultural and historical preconditions that enabled the European Renaissance.

Roeck shows that the rediscovery of ancient knowledge, including the science of the medieval Arab world, played a critical role in shaping the beginnings of Western modernity.

 

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘On Task’ by David Badre

Updated 05 June 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘On Task’ by David Badre

Why is it hard to text and drive at the same time? How do you resist eating that extra piece of cake? Why does staring at a tax form feel mentally exhausting? 

From making a cup of coffee to buying a house to changing the world around them, humans are uniquely able to execute necessary actions.

How do we do it? Or in other words, how do our brains get things done? In “On Task,” cognitive neuroscientist David Badre presents the first authoritative introduction to the neuroscience of cognitive control—the remarkable ways that our brains devise sophisticated actions to achieve our goals.


Book Review: ‘The Culture Map’ by Erin Meyer

Updated 04 June 2025
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Book Review: ‘The Culture Map’ by Erin Meyer

“The Culture Map” by Erin Meyer, which was published in 2014, discusses the cultural differences between people and how they influence business interactions.

American author and professor at INSEAD Business School, Meyer talks from personal experience about fundamental points to pay attention to while having interactions with international business owners, peers, or clients.

She uncovers the meaning behind certain behaviors and suggests solutions to overcome the differences between people to accomplish shared goals.

As a cross-cultural management expert, Meyer discusses the elements that contribute to people’s communication and collaboration, including evaluation, persuasion, leadership, decision-making, and trust.

Using practical examples, she explains how misunderstandings sometimes happen when people interpret attitudes using their own lens, which may not be appropriate when relying on personal background and general understanding of the world.

She writes about people appreciating and focusing on what they find meaningful to them. Some cultures value direct feedback, while others tend to lean toward indirect communication when asked to give an opinion.

In addition, the author provides strategies to overcome differences and find common ground, focusing on the importance of learning and understanding cultural norms, and also being adaptable when an individual becomes part of an international team.

She also encourages readers to understand and respect other traditions to build effective relationships with the world around us.

“The Culture Map” is a guide for people who may be working in multicultural environments and want to elevate teamwork while improving intercultural skills.