Nandini Ramachandran

Articles by Nandini Ramachandran

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  May 02, 2012

  The Avengers: Joss Whedon strikes again

  The movie has all the signature qualities of a Joss Whedon show: violent technology; human connection; a self-ironic villain; and sidekicks who steal the show, including, of course, a kick-ass heroine.
  America FilmCrit The Avengers Joss Whedon Bruce Banner Loki Gwyneth Paltrow Tony Stark
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  Jan 02, 2012

  An ode to the Werewolf: fantasy fiction's most popular shape-shifter

  Werewolves are creatures who are victims of unlucky accidents; regular humans who have inadvertent contact with the supernatural.
  LiteraryPalate A Song of Ice and Fire Werewolves George R. R. Martin Smaug
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  Nov 25, 2011

  Why books are a great reason to escape

  Ardent readers are parasites upon the current of history: we live for the drift, the doze, and the dream; we hope someone else is doing the steering.
  LiteraryPalatte Herodotus Ryszard Kapuściński
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  Nov 02, 2011

  Why Edward Said and his writing matter

  Edward Said was a prolific writer. The key to reading him is following in his footsteps: construct a chronology, track trajectories of thought, torment yourself with text until you locate context.
  LiteraryPalate Edward Said
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  Oct 21, 2011

  Happy 82, Ursula Le Guin

  Ursula Le Guin — celebrates her 82nd birthday today — has always been a writer of sweeping vision, and her books bring together tropes from science fiction and fantasy alike.
  Literature LiteraryPalate The Left Hand of Darkness Earthsea The Dispossessed Ursula Le Guin Hal Duncan
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  Oct 17, 2011

  The iconic food writing of MKF Fisher

  Ms Fisher's writing highlights the enjoyment and the experience of food, rather than the making of it. Her recipes, as a result, are quick, quiet affairs: a short list of ingredients and an illustrative description of how they are to be combined.
  LiteraryPalate M. F. K. Fisher Oyster CookBooks
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  Oct 08, 2011

  The transformative and surrealistic works of Tomas Tranströmer

  This year's Nobel Prize winning poet, Tomas Tranströmer won't write about things you'd like to hear. The surrealism in his poetry is a treat to discover.
  LiteraryPalate Tomas Transtromer Mario Vargas Llosa Ludwig van Beethoven
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  Sep 26, 2011

  Must-see guide to Hollywood serials

  Many of the offerings may seem dismal, but there is some good news to be found this season. For starters, 'The Good Wife', which stars an Indian-origin character we can all root for.
  TheIdiotBox Emmys Firefly Mad Men The Good Wife
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  Sep 08, 2011

  Squonks and other fascinating imaginary beings

  Of the all imaginary creatures that Jean Louis Bourges wrote about in The Book of Imaginary beings, the squonk is perhaps the most fascinating of them all.
  LiteraryPalate Jorge Luis Borges Squonk
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  Sep 03, 2011

  Alternate Songs

  "Gritty" and "challenging", A Game of Thrones and the long awaited, A Dance with Dragons has finally arrived. Although such fantasy has a lot to offer, but it’s gratifying to have one’s beliefs validated.
  ThingsWeLike A Dance with Dragons A Song of Ice and Fire