Changi Beach in Singapore

CHANGI BEACH, SINGAPORE — By daylight and by moonlight, this is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Asia Pacific and it has one of the most horrific histories of any place in the region.

In the footsteps of Heidi in the Swiss Alps

MAIENFELD, SWITZERLAND—The alpine meadows. The soaring mountains. The cute little goats with bells around their necks, chiming away in the shadow of a picture-perfect hillside.

A Walk on the Wild Side of Hong Kong

HONG KONG—Most first-time visitors to Hong Kong spend their days in this city of skyscrapers looking up and dodging the crush of people.

Recent Posts from around the world

Literary History Today Jan. 16: Bard of the Yukon born

Visit Dawson City today and you can see the cabin once lived in by Robert W. Service, the Canadian poet who wroteThe Cremation of Sam McGee .

This Day in Literary History for Jan. 13: Swift gets ordained in Ireland

On this day in 1695, Jonathan Swift is ordained as an Anglican priest and given the post of Kilroot in Ireland where he will live from March of that year until May 1696.

Today in Literary History Jan. 12: Oscar Wilde writes about Henry James

On this day in 1899, Oscar Wilde, in a letter to Canadian journalist Robert Ross, believed to have been his first male lover, writes: “Henry James is developing, but he will never [...]

The world of books

What happens in a bookstore when the doors close and the last customer leaves?

Today in Literary History Jan 11: Hammett meets Chandler

On this day in 1936, the two great crime noir novelists of the early 20th century meet at a dinner in Los Angeles.

Today in Literary History for Jan 10: Dash Day

On this day in 1961, author Dashiell Hammett, creator of private detective Sam Spade dies at the age of 67.

In mining country in Wales

BLAENAVON, WALES — “This ain’t Disneyland,” warns the tour guide as the rattling elevator door pulls shut.

This Day in Literary History: A duel not to the death

A duel is fought on this day in 1825 by Alexandre Dumas, then 23 years old.

Oscar Wilde arrived in NYC this week in 1882

Just finished reading Richard Ellmann’s biography of Oscar Wilde published a couple of decades ago.

Today in Literary History: J.R.R. Tolkien born

January 2: John Ronald Reuel, the son of an impoverished bank clerk, was born on this day in 1892 in Bloemfontein, S.A.

Recent Video from Literary Places

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