Isham Cook's Blog: Isham Cook, page 15
February 4, 2013
The mistress. A short story
The BMW pulled up to the main gate of Beijing’s Xiehe Hospital. Standing by the curb was a young woman in high-heeled boots, pleated miniskirt, and white suede moto jacket with a rotund fox collar like an Elizabethan ruff. She got in. … Continue reading →
January 17, 2013
Philip Glass and Tan Dun
I. Philip Glass You know, there’s a lot of music in the world. You don’t have to listen to mine. There’s Mozart, there’s the Beatles. Listen to something else. You have my blessings. Go out and listen to something else. … Continue reading →
December 30, 2012
Isham Cook’s blog: 2012 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: 4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 16,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this … Continue reading →
2012 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: 4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 16,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this … Continue reading →
December 21, 2012
The Chinese art of noise
The pre-dawn Beijing smog is so thick it seems to block out noise, until the one-man band following behind me rends the silence with his hawking, spitting and throat-clearing symphony; he plays all the repeats in the atonal musical score. … Continue reading →
The art of noise: Insights from China
The pre-dawn Beijing smog is so thick it seems to block out noise, until the one-man band following behind me rends the silence with his hawking, spitting and throat-clearing symphony; he plays all the repeats in the atonal musical score. … Continue reading →
December 14, 2012
Irreducible, like the country itself: China books I have reviewed for 2012
We have a paradox of a book here, a compelling 300-page account of China with virtually nothing to tell us about life in China or the Chinese. How does Carl Crow, the famous Shanghai newspaper editor and American China hand … Continue reading →
December 11, 2012
There she blows! A short story
A burst of energy reverberated. My wife stiffened and leaned close. Others in the café did the same. There she blows! The woman who had entered dropped her coat at a table across from us and went to buy a drink. An … Continue reading →
November 26, 2012
Incident at Dongwuyuan Fuzhuang Shichang. A short story
“How much is that?” “That’s for post-pregnant women. Were you pregnant?” “Oh.” “You want one of those instead. Why do you need it? You’re not fat.” “She thinks she is.” “I want it anyway. Does it work?” “Sure. What size … Continue reading →
November 12, 2012
iProstitution. A short story
iProstitution: The practice, particularly common in China, of granting romantic or sexual favors to a man in exchange for the latest Apple product. “You want to see me? Why? You want to make love with me, right?” “You’re still a … Continue reading →
