Karavansara

17 August 2015
by Davide Mana 3 Comments

The many faces of Marlowe

My friend Giulia – she has just started her new blog, and you should check it out – suggested a fun idea, the other day: why not do a post about Philip Marlowe.
About Philip Marlowe at the movies.
About the actors that were Marlowe in the movies.
And I thought… why not?

Because you see, Philip Marlowe is a small wonder – a pulp character that made thegrade to serious literature without even trying.
Ray Chandler‘s work is there to defuse any argument about popular literature as inferior narrative, as a lesser art.
Marlowe – and Chandler – have become, without really trying, the champions of a whole body of literature. Continue reading →

15 August 2015
by Davide Mana 14 Comments

The Anti-Damsel Blogathon: Mrs Emma Peel

She was my first crush, back when I was something like eight years old, and she’s certainly one of the strongest influences on my intellectual development (if any).
Emma Peel, as portrayed by Dame Diana Rigg, is one of the icons of the 1960s, a sex symbol, and one of the earliest strong, empowered female leads in television entertainment.

And so, because as of today the Anti-Damsel Blogathon (hosted by The Movies Silently and by The Last Drive In) is on, I am posting about Emma Peel. Continue reading →

14 August 2015
by Davide Mana Leave a comment

Writing prompt – Got a light?

Maybe it’s because I’m reading The Mammoth Book of Dieselpunk, maybe it’s because I always get ideas about stories to write while I have stories to write (don’t ask), but I’d really really like to do a dieselpunk number.

13 August 2015
by Davide Mana 4 Comments

World Elephant Day

So, depending on your time zone, yesterday was the World Elephant Day, or today is the World Elephant Day for a few hours yet.

Elephants are majestic animals, creatures of wonder that have been with us throughout our history.
Transportation, heavy lifting, war machine, simple show of might and power, avataras of wise gods… humans have cast the elephants in a lot of roles.

And then there’s ivory, of course – a precious commodity, and the main reason why African elephants are an endangered species.

Now, when I think of elephants, there’s four things that come to my mind, as in a rush… Continue reading →

12 August 2015
by Davide Mana 4 Comments

English, Spanish, French & Arabic

Today I’m posting an infographic from the South China Morning Post, graphically representing the diffusion of languages in the world or – if you prefer – the potential readership for each language.
Or, the languages that are likelier to give you a lot of mileage as you travel the world.
Or what languages a world-weary pulp adventurer could have mastered depending on the places he visited.
(be warned, it’s big) Continue reading →

10 August 2015
by Davide Mana Leave a comment

The Week of Unreliability

This is the week in which all of Italy shuts down as people eagerly pursue their dream of a vacation in style.
Shops are shut for business, public offices are closed, mail delivery becomes even more erratic. Even the internet becomes unreliable, and Facbook fills up with weirdos rambling about nothing.

Here in the Astigianistan hills, the torrid heat has given way to furious thunderstorms and five pm showers.
Feels like the monsoon season in Asia, without any of the perks.

So, for this week I’ll be sitting back and relaxing – sipping cold brewed tea, dining on Indian food (it suits the atmosphere, so to speak), and reading books.

In case you are interested, here’s what’s on my reading list. Continue reading →