At Once on India and Reading.

One day, Bombay became Mumbai, now I've found that in 2001, Calcutta became Kolkata. I guess, beyond all considerations economical, philsophical and political, the biggest question is, Why didn't anyone tell me?? I had to read about it in The Atlantic, like a commoner. (This is actually a very good article about Kolkata, with its new name taking on Bengali nuances, and how the city itself is growing, slowly trying to distance itself from its impoverished past.

There is no seque here.

I have way too many books to read, yet I'm interested in these:

• Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach.
• The Fortune Cook Chronicles, by Jennifer 8. Lee (Yep, that's her name.) Not just about Chinese food but about the Chinese cultural diaspora.
• Skim, a graphic novel by Mariko Tamaki.

It's been far too long since I've been zine shopping. When I do go, I'm looking for the latest issue of Caboose, which regularly makes me laugh. Liz, the author, recently became my friend on MySpace, so now we're, like totally BFFs forever!

These days I'm still reading Kenzaburo Oe and a book about books, which might sound strange...But it's true.

Later, crew.

x.