Current reads

“Lincoln in the Bardo” by George Saunders, published in 2017, is one of the most stunningly original novels I have read in recent years. It is a haunting (literally) and heart-breaking account of the death of Willie Lincoln, Abraham’s 11-year old son, and the president’s grief as seen through historical and fictional accounts, as well as from the point of view of the spirits, vividly portrayed by Saunders, who watch over the dead boy as he hangs in limbo (the Bardo of the title). DR

Reading “The Soul of America” couldn’t be more timely, given the current US impeachment trial. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former editor-in-chief of Newsweek, Jon Meacham, reflects on trials that have faced the US over the course of its history, from civil rights and women’s suffrage to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal”, all the while keeping the faith that the country will defend its core values. It’s a powerful reminder of the need to remember history. NG

I love reading short stories, particularly ones about places I know. Anne-Marie Reuter of Black Fountain Press last year introduced me to the national literary review “les Cahiers Luxembourgeois”, which recently began publishing stories in English, as well as French, German and Luxembourgish. Essentially an anthology released three times a year, it’s a place to see the best writing in Luxembourg. JB

This was an interesting read: GQ spoke with the (Harvard-trained lawyer) creator of “Fair Play”, a card game to help (mainly heterosexual) couples divide up household duties equitably. The trick, apparently, is for each partner to take total ownership of specific tasks instead of running a relay race. AG

Must-see films

Sam Mendes’s “1917” is a brilliant cinematic achievement that grips the audience from start to finish. It has its faults, and clearly “Parasite” is far and away the best film up for an Oscar, but the illusion of a real-time story shot in a single continuous take and the choreography required to achieve that deserves high praise for director and cinematographer Roger Deakins. As a tribute to the director’s war hero grandfather Alfred it is quite beautiful--though why the trailer has to blaze the fact that Mendes directed “Skyfall” is beyond me. Showtimes in Luxembourg here. DR

Listen to this

On a recent grey weekend, I binge-listened to the BBC-NRK “Death in Ice Valley” podcast series, which examines a mysterious death near Bergen, Norway, in 1970. I’m a late comer: the podcasts were released in the spring and summer of 2018 and a follow-on episode in June 2019, but the case remains unsolved. AG 

I was recently gifted Sharon Van Etten’s “Remind Me Tomorrow” album and I have been playing it on repeat. Van Etten’s natural vocals are sliced through with brassy synth sounds, and the album feels personal, raw and somehow confessional. NG

The Philharmonie has some fabulous concerts but often the artists I want to see sell out fast. I learned a trick to get around this. If a concert has sold out, you can buy a standing ticket, known as  “springer cart”, at the ticket desk an hour before the concert is scheduled to start. Five minutes before the concert starts, the ushers will endeavour to find you a seat based on the no-shows. If there are no seats available, then you stand for the concert. The latter happens so I recommend wearing appropriate footwear! JB

For foodies

I was always addicted to baking books and magazines as a kid but since I recently had to cut a few things out of my diet, the options were looking pretty paltry until I discovered anyallergyfood.com. Founded by a woman living in Luxembourg, it includes tonnes of great allergy-friendly recipes and is a place for anyone to share their best makes.  JB

The Piadì Italian Food House (pictured above) opened at the end of January, with chef Jerome Prosperi whipping up some lovely Italian food. They make a mean piadina (an Italian flatbread), with all sorts of toppings, made from scratch. The place is bright, there’s even a smile in their logo. Our team is lucky this one is just around the corner from our offices…  NG