Current reads

As something of a book hoarder, it’s not unusual for some volumes to bide their time on my shelves for several years. by Tim Marshall still had a 2016 receipt stuck between its pages but it is as timely as ever, as some of the same conflicts in Asia, the Middle East and Africa continue and the past five years in some cases have only served to heighten tensions. Marshall tours ten geographies around the globe, looking at how landscapes, access to oceans and rivers, and natural resources have shaped the nations of this world, but also the ramifications to this day of arbitrary lines drawn in the sand by colonial powers. I am now all caught up for Marshall’s latest . CS 

Oliver K. Langmead inaugurates a new-feeling genre of mythic thriller with (2021, Titan Books), in which Adam—the biblical Adam from the garden of Eden—is alive, world-weary and residing in Great Britain. There’s nothing cute about it, however, lest you get the wrong idea: parts of the supernatural garden are being gathered together and the question is why, by whom, to what end. The book thoughtfully pits our modern humanity against Adam’s ur-humanity, with results that aren’t as ethically clear-cut as you’d think. Surprisingly action-packed, for all that, and well worth a look. JP

is an irresistible world tour, all through botany. Descriptions of specific plants and their roots (pun intended) in their native countries present one surprise after another, with illustrations by Lucille Clerc reminiscent of scientific illustrators and naturalists of the 18th century. It’s also full of fun facts: I now know that the origin of the “Peter Piper” tongue twister is likely linked to nutmeg, while candlenuts can be used for anything from cooking to tattoos. NG

Digital highlights

On the third episode of podcast, Jimmy Etheredge, co-host and CEO of Accenture North America, and Emmanuel Acho, co-host, former NFL linebacker and host of Uncomfortable Conversations with Emmanuel Acho discuss invisible disabilities in the workplace. Both co-hosts delve into the subject with Microsoft’s Jenny Lay-Flurrie, recognised as a “Disability Employment Champion of Change” by the White House in October 2014, who touches on her auditory impairment while debunking stereotypes that exist and sharing useful tips for companies to integrate people with invisible disabilities, referred to as the most untapped talent pool. Thorkil Sonne, founder of Specialisterne, based in Copenhagen, speaks on respect and inclusion models for the neurodiverse. AO

Listen to this

If you’ve watched the singing sensation perform live, then you probably know the heart and soul she brings to every performance. Barefoot, in a live concert at home in celebration of women’s month in March this year, the performs famous tracks, namely “Murder in the USA”, “Stay Tonight”, “Jailer”, “Nine lives” and “So beautiful”. Enjoy! AO

Essential viewing

The short Netflix original released on 12 August is based on the video game by Japanese company Capcom. The action-filled anime with vivid imagery lasts less than an hour. If you’re already a fan, then you’ll be more than delighted to follow young Aiden and hunters from the guild attempt to rescue the village standing in the path of a migrating vicious elder dragon. AO

The makers of Netflix docu-series shrewdly chose Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklange to narrate their dictatorship playbook. Each episode focuses on the tactics used by tyrants to gain and hold on to power, drawing on the likes of Adolf Hitler, Idi Amin, Saddam Hussein and Kim Il-sung. With dark humour and a flippant tone it is a different approach to the genre compared to the myriad of documentaries already out there on these figures. It’s a shame though that the series shies away from making explicit how some of today’s leaders are using the same recipe as those decades ago. CS

(2021), film adaptation of the famous fourteenth-century poem in which Sir Gawain plays a beheading game with a mysterious knight who turns up on Christmas, has finally hit theatres. Wow. Beautifully rendered in terms of camerawork, colours and sounds, with elements of fantasy creeping in at the edges of the story both visually and narratively. Dev Patel captures the hero’s impossible journey with perfect understatement; I could watch him discover what can’t be discovered all day. The whole experience made me feel strange… and you can’t ask a film for more. JP

I went into (2021) with two concerns: first, the trailer threatened a depressing, too-glib global-warming retrospective—“when the waters began to rise and war broke out, nostalgia became a way of life”—and second, the Hugh Jackman vibe is (for me) more miss than hit. Thanks not even entirely to my expertly dropped expectations, however, both counts were beaten: the story remains superficial enough to dodge any existential reckoning, and plotted enough that Jackman only has to deliver a handful of embarrassing lines. Stylised and exciting, a little like a comic book. Add popcorn and it’s totally worth the evening. JP

For foodies

The diner lies off the beaten track in one of Bonnevoie’s more quiet residential areas (23 Rue Nicolas Martha). But it is worth the trip if you’re craving a juicy burger or crisp and succulent fried chicken. The menu is small—as is the diner—but there are enough comfort food options to choose from, freshly prepared in the open kitchen by North Bay’s Canadian owner. CS