Y.S. Stephen - Reader | Casual Observer

In the current world of “opinion piece”, “fake news”, “sound bites”, you might want to think about the hidden meaning behind what policymakers and news corporations say to you. Understand how propaganda works. See my shop if interested in getting the art on as a poster or t-shirt.

There aren't many western publishers pumping out African-based sci-fi or fantasy comic books so I was glad to see Nnedi Okorafor's LaGuardia on my Edelweiss list. The story itself is about aliens who came to earth as refugees and immigrants, contributed to earth's technology, then afterwards ostracised and discriminated against by humans. Thick in the middle of these events are disruptions in relationships, riots, and hidden kindness in unexpected places. LaGuardia strengths lie in its characters and setting, which is unapologetically African as well as American. Unique dialogue and its bright colours lend the work life and believability. The characters' unusual names (Future, Letme, Citizen, Payment, etc. ) takes away a bit of immersion from the reading - I found myself pausing often, not sure if the names were verbs or nouns in many cases. LaGuardia is a satire that reflects the stupidity of racism and discrimination based on colour geographical location. I...

Even as a book reviewer, it is not often that you come across books that deal with the subject of death. You may come across themes of loss, loneliness, and other emotions that death brings, but to look at non-existence in the face and examine it critically is something I am not used to. So, ladies and gentlemen, I present Death: A Reader , by Mary Ann G. Cutter. Death: A Reader  takes a broad look at the way humanity views death. The author examines various cultures from different timelines to illustrate how our perspectives on death differ. Ultimately, the book concludes that how we view death affects the way we view suicide, old age, how we handle the news of our demise, and the manner with which we conduct funerals. Though the author points to a personal event (the loss of her husband) as one of the triggers for writing this book, you will find that this work lacks a personal touch.   Death: A Reader  reads like an academic paper and it has lots of referen...

Some of us are worried about the devaluation of artistic and creative skills going in today's technological age. Creative works are constantly offered for exposure or less money than they are worth. Many companies and individuals, even those with lots of money, continue to see artistic people's insecurities as something to exploit for cheap labour. The natural or artisanal wine industry is one that has caught Jonathan Nossiter's eye. In his book, Cultural Insurrection , he evaluates the rise of this tiny sector and how it has risen against all odds to thrive and prosper. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE BOOK Nossiter points out many lessons from how natural winemakers worked together, defied government interference, and resisted the allure of over-the-top profit to create something they are genuinely proud of. WHAT I DISLIKE While this book has lots of examples of winemakers and the negative events they had to overcome to make a success of their craft, it fails to do a good j...

I designed this after observing the beauty, usefulness, as well as deadliness of mushrooms.