Isham Cook's Blog: Isham Cook, page 13
December 30, 2013
Isham Cook’s blog: 2013 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for Isham Cook’s blog. Here’s an excerpt: The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 16,000 times in 2013. If it were … Continue reading →
December 28, 2013
More foreign devils in the flowery kingdom: China books I have reviewed in 2013
If there was ever a story with an extreme cultural divide to navigate, it’s this one. A young woman from rural China is plopped down in London for a year on a study visa with little English ability or understanding … Continue reading →
December 7, 2013
The Taiwan massage scene
It’s late 2013 and my first trip back to Taipei in 25 years. Nothing around me is familiar and I’m disoriented, though I do recall passing by massage parlors on that earlier brief trip and regretting not having the chance to … Continue reading →
November 6, 2013
Injaculation. A short story
From ripe adulthood health begins to be taken as seriously as wealth, and amidst the Spring Festival crowd at the Temple of the White Room people are queued up in the main yard as far back as the gate waiting to … Continue reading →
September 25, 2013
Reset. A play in two acts
Characters: DAVIS ROSE DAYINA CUSREP 1 CUSREP 2 Setting: The future Beijing, China, 2064 A round stage encircled by a sloping wall depicts a futuristic living quarters, with the audience surrounding the stage from above, the seating and stage together forming … Continue reading →
August 26, 2013
The hickey. A play in one act
Characters: ANTHONY, a young American English teacher QINGQING, his student, a senior English major Setting: The foreign teachers guesthouse of a university in Beijing, China The audience surrounds an apron stage in an intimate theater. Placed downstage center is a … Continue reading →
The hickey. A play
Characters: ANTHONY, a young American English teacher QINGQING, his student, a senior English major Setting: The foreign teachers guesthouse of a university in Beijing, China The audience surrounds an apron stage in an intimate theater. Placed downstage center is a … Continue reading →
August 10, 2013
Let the sunshine in. A short story
“It’s so cute!” she said, fingering the little rectangle of paper with a joker printed on it, like a Barbie Doll’s playing card. “What is it?” “Joker acid.” “What’s that?” “You put it on your tongue and it makes you … Continue reading →
July 24, 2013
Jia (Home). A short story
The man swiveled on his feet looking about him, and stepped into a shabby auto repair shop. “Excuse me, this is the bus stop?” he queried a young male in English. The mechanic returned an uncomprehending gaze before yelling into … Continue reading →
July 6, 2013
The curious benefits of neurosis. A short story
A red neon sign so far in the unsteady distance it could be a firefly. I too am a fly and it pulls me irresistibly toward it, for it is in the shape of a suspected character, and like most … Continue reading →
