Jessica Zafra's Blog, page 84

From the Workshop: Almost Forty

We give writing workshops at the Ayala Museum. The workshops consist of three two-hour sessions of lectures, exercises, and group discussions held over three weeks. The next workshop, Writing Boot Camp, will start on 3 September 2015. For more information or to make a reservation, email Marj Villaflores, villaflores.md@ayalafoundation.org. This month we are featuring, with […]

Gold and Memory: Unlocking our collective amnesia

In the heart of the financial district of Makati and in a basement at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas complex sits what may be the most valuable tangible heritage of the Philippines: gold objects believed to be a thousand years old. There are gold bangles inlaid with semi-precious stones and arm ornaments of hammered gold. […]

The mathematics of history

via 3QD

Sexing up the classics

Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Frankenstein. . .great books that generations of students have been required to read for their edification. They’re supposed to be “good for us”, like exercise or a trip to the dentist. Nothing kills the pleasure of reading a good book faster than treating it like homework. What if the novels […]

Hammer and Cavill have a beauty contest in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and we all win.

We have seen The Man from U.N.C.L.E. twice, the first time for the beautiful leads, and the second time for its Dolce Vita-era style and fashion. The movie is adapted from a TV show that is so old, even we don’t remember seeing it. This is what the original stars looked like. Robert Vaughn and […]

Happy Birthday, Mat!

It’s the 14th birthday of Matthias Eomer Octavian Federer-Urban. Happy Birthday, Mat! He has a cold and does not want to be The Oracle, so no questions, please. However, if you feed a stray cat or make a donation to an animal welfare group today, he will send you good luck.

Writing Boot Camp starts on September 3

Wayward Pines: M. Night Shyamalanana

Shyamalan sees living people. . .but for how long? M. Night Shyamalan’s movies are basically Twilight Zone episodes — the middling ones that rely on twists or sudden revelations to rock the audience. Having watched a lot of Twilight Zone episodes — the ’80s TV remake whose producers included George R.R. Martin — we immediately […]

Meg Wolitzer, Matthew Quick headline Philippine Literary Festival 2015

Abe Florendo.

Abe Florendo, journalist, editor, and soul of kindness, died last Sunday. He was cremated yesterday morning. A wake will be held at his house in BF Resort, Las Pinas until Thursday, after which his ashes will be taken to Ilocos. Abe was our lifestyle editor at TODAY. He encouraged young writers, listened to everyone’s ideas […]