The perils of continuing to work from home
As offices are gradually opening up, either partially or fully, many employees are returning to their workspaces rather reluctantly, either out of nervousness or habit. Many countries worldwide have...
Why hybrid classes need to be made permanent
As students gingerly go back to school across the world, the consequences of a two-year gap in traditional, face-to-face education will surely be evident. Bereft of social contact and classroom...
Time management is both a skill and an art
The long summer days in the Sultanate of Oman can be deceptive – they seem to offer many hours of productive work, leading to relaxed evenings with family and friends. But the reality is not as...
Earth Hour reflects grass root activism at its best
As the Sultanate of Oman, along with the rest of the world, observed Earth Hour by switching off household and institutional lights for an hour, it reminds us that protecting the environment isn’t...
The perfect Mother’s Day gift? Your time
E M Forster, the noted writer once said, “I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would no more war”. In our present world, perhaps that is a much needed reminder.As...
The rise of cooking as therapy
As Ramadhan approaches and preparations begin in households to mark the holy month with religious observances, there is also excitement around new recipes - browsing the Internet for the latest fusion...
The magical world of children’s stories
One of the most endearing images of the Muscat International Book Fair which concluded last week was the enthusiastic, sometimes raucous participation of children in what can only be called a literary...
Positive thinking for a harsh world
We often feel we are living in a world where little seems to be going right. Whether it is global politics, climate change, harsh economic realities or recovering from the experiences of the pandemic,...
Why are book fairs still so popular in a digital world?
There is much anticipation for the launch of the Muscat International Book Fair on February 23 at the Oman Convention Centre. Coming after a year’s gap, this will be one of the first public events...
Learning to be a parent, by the book
If you are a new parent, chances are that you have prepared for this moment enthusiastically and meticulously.Everything from clothing, car seats and feeding paraphernalia is thought out to the last...
Why Wordle is the need of the hour
If you haven’t heard of the online word game Wordle, you’re definitely living on another planet. This digital game, consisting of a grid of 30 tiles, 5 across and 6 down, offers a new 5-letter...
Opening windows to different worlds, cultures
With a generation of toddlers growing up on endless loops of YouTube videos, actually played out on smartphones, the gap in the children’s book sector is an exciting and creative space.What do we...
What kind of fiction did people read in 2021?
In 1993, when Peter James wrote a novel ‘Host’ on a floppy disk, he was widely attacked for almost announcing the death of the paper book. Why would anyone want to knock down more trees if a book,...
Between the spines: A book lover’s corner
January is a time for resolutions, listicles, and planning ahead. We promise to eat better and strike a better work-home balance, maybe even put in some hours at the gym.Many of us also plan to read...