Recent Posts
Zhongshuge 钟书阁 – A Surreal Literary Labyrinth in Beijing 北京
Zhongshuge 钟书阁 has a reputation across China for having “the most beautiful bookstores,” and their location inside Beijing’s Galeries Lafayette department store (北京老佛爷百货商店, 100 Xidan North St.) certainly lives up to the title. While many modern bookstores these days opt for boxy minimalist cubes, Zhongshuge leans into the surreal. The journey begins at the main…
Getting Lost in Skoob, London’s Basement Book Maze
Hunting for the best second-hand bookshop in London? Skoob Books in Bloomsbury—tucked beneath the Brunswick Centre near Russell Square—offers one of the city’s broadest selections of used and out-of-print titles. Enjoy a tune while browsing. Bloomsbury has long been London’s intellectual heartland—home to the University of London’s central precinct (Senate House). Surrounded by University College…
Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Opus versions and the Originals
Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away on March 28, 2023, after battling throat cancer and later colon cancer. As the third anniversary of his death is approaching, we honor his extraordinary artistry with this post. Recorded in December 2022 and released in November 2023, just months after his death, the album “Opus” stands as his final solo…
All about Blue Monday by New Order – Part Two – 7 versions + 1 mashup
“Blue Monday” is a 1983 song by the English group New Order that influenced generations of pop and dance music – essentially dance music for punk rockers. It is the biggest selling 12-inches vinyl of all time. Our previous post explored its origin, and in this post, we shared a slightly updated 1988 version by…
