There's a deceptively simple scene in Amma, the debut novel of Saraid de Silva, that says much about relationships, family history and all their complex dynamics. The gentle unfolding during a meal of Sri Lankan takeaways reveals (among other insights) that nobody in the family has picked up any culinary skills from Josephina, the Amma of the title: she always shooed everyone out of the kitchen when cooking.
Amma never learnt how to cook from her own mother but she did from Inesh Uncle and Suji Aunty, two siblings she boarded with when she arrived in Colombo in 1968. They gave her a sense of security she never felt from her parents, conveyed through their cooking sessions.
Denne historien er fra March 30 - April 5, 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra March 30 - April 5, 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
