“They’re made out of meat.” The first line of Terry Bison’s short story has altered my brain chemistry in the way I perceive the world. It’s an unsettling view on the biases, assumptions, and the nature of our intelligence. The story follows two extraterrestrial beings who find themselves trying to analyse the perception of humans…
Arthur Conan Doyle’s fiction, beyond establishing the world’s most beloved detective, firmly identifies itself by skimping on just enough in-text details for the reader to become sleuths themselves. However, a faithful Sherlock Holmes adaptation draws a black-and-white against what can be called “the commonplaces of existence”—even placing the detective upon a well-held position above narrative…
For decades, romantic comedies have held a special place in American pop culture, primarily through the silver screen. Classics like When Harry Met Sally and 10 Things I Hate About You captivated audiences with their charm, wit, and heartfelt exploration of love. But in the realm of literature, rom-coms—or “chick-lit” as they were often dismissively…
The Feminine Forces of Halloween Imagine a dark hat with a long body, its peak so crooked that it is coiled up, with a purple ribbon at its rim, a head with long dark hair and pale white skin wearing it. The wearer’s eyes glisten with echoes of power. She is the one with a…
Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale has become an increasingly familiar reference point in the frazzled, chaotic cycle of modern elections. The novel’s dystopian world of Gilead, where women are stripped of their rights and forced into rigid roles, has been used to illustrate concerns about political and social trends, particularly in recent years. For many,…
We\’ve all spent nights gazing at the stars, yearning to know what lies beyond our atmosphere. Science fiction fulfills that childhood wonder, hurtling us across galaxies and thrusting us into societies lightyears ahead of our own. But beneath the dazzling space battles lies a deeper current – a potent exploration of political philosophy. This exploration…
![ac8e9971a9638eac8ffafbdac4dd6a55](https://literarytimesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ac8e9971a9638eac8ffafbdac4dd6a55.jpg "\\"From the world of sounds I pour,..\\" by Mehinbanu Aslan Pashayeva")
Sometimes forever it remains for people,A short, but although profound line.Through brief word wisdom will make it’s way to men,Although a century ago it flew off the tongue. Mirza Shafi Vazeh (18th century – 1852) After getting to know Mirza Shafi better and realizing the seriousness of a couple of his songs, I understood why…
‘Imitation may outpace authenticity, but authenticity outlasts imitation.’ In a world where every idea is copy pasted and cultivated into ‘trends’, it’s hard to find a place for your niche while making it worthwhile. The thought of not being successful drives people away from merely trying to put it out in the world. In the confined box that…
![whatsapp image 2024 09 11 at 15.58.24 b1dcb952](https://literarytimesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/whatsapp-image-2024-09-11-at-15.58.24_b1dcb952-2.jpg "\\"Zones of Competing Interest\\" by Thomas Larson")
1 / In the twenty-first century, film and music have much more to say, much more public and private space in which to speak and be heard and be covered by the listening class, Netflix audiences in the tens of millions, much more of a sensory hold over those viewers than literature has over its…
![20240824 201237](https://literarytimesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/20240824_201237-2.jpg "\\"What are the qualities of a real human?\\" By Mehinbanu Aslan Pashayeva")
Humanity is not inherent in everyone who arrives in this world. A world full of trials, impenetrable thickets, which you get more and more confused about. More and more often, thus worsening your position in the eyes of the public watching you the very expression \”A little bit of humanity\” has a meaning.. a…
and it’s one of our most psychologically intense editions yet. Limited access. Selected contributors. Zero compromise on quality and content.