The first section of this enigmatic book is entitled “Kintsugi,” translated by its author, Linda Morales Caballero, as “the beauty of scars.” And that it is; but it is something else as well. The Japanese word (金継ぎ), composed of kin (gold or golden) and tsugi (to repair) refers to the art of repairing or suturing broken objects: ceramic bowls, for example, with gold liquid. As each object breaks differently, the golden sutures take on a special beauty, and in the end what is on display, as the author rightly says, is “the beauty of the scars.”
This isn’t self-help. It’s not a parody either. It’s something stranger and smarter: a satirical, uncategorizable book about belief, leadership, algorithmic power, and the performance of divinity in modern life.
A new book of poems by Nina Kossman. “When the mythological and personal meet, something transforms for this reader…” -Ilya Kaminsky
From the myths of the ancient Near East to the secluded palaces of forgotten empires, Harems: Origins and Eunuchs uncovers how the idea of the harem first emerged — not only as a symbol of power and beauty, but also as a reflection of human desire, faith, and control. With the precision of a historian and the sensitivity of a storyteller, Sergii Mazurkevych traces the hidden world of eunuchs, devotion, and intrigue that shaped entire civilizations. A thoughtful and visually rich journey into one of history’s most secret institutions.
This excellent anthology, compiled and edited by Julia Nemirovskaya, showcases poems by Russian (and Russian-speaking) poets who express their absolute rejection of Russia’s war against Ukraine.