Cultural Reads 5: Nigerian Afrobeats, Brazilian Tragedy & Peruvian Romance
Good Morning, Welcome to the 5th issue of the Cultural Reads Newsletter. A bi-weekly book, music, and movie recommendation from different countries all around the world. In this week’s newsletter: Nigeria, Brazil, and Peru. 🎷 Fela Kuti (Nigeria) In 2018, I was in Nigeria for the wedding of a friend. For his bachelor party, we went to a […]
Cultural Reads 4: Jazz in Macedonia, French Absurdism & Magic Realism
Morning All, Welcome to the 4th issue of the Cultural Reads Newsletter. A bi-weekly book, music, and movie recommendation from different countries all around the world. In this week’s newsletter: USA, France, Colombia. 🎷 Bill Evans (USA) During the summer of 2019, my housemate and I traveled to Lake Ohrid in Macedonia. When searching for activities, we […]
Cultural Reads 3: Australian Prison Escape, Mali Blues, Italian Beauty
Hi All, Welcome to the third issue of the Cultural Reads Newsletter. A bi-weekly book, music, and movie recommendation from different countries all around the world. As you can see, I now officially have a logo—a huge shout-out to Martha from Colombia for helping me out with the design! In this week’s newsletter: Australia, Mali, and Italy. […]
Best Nigerian Authors | 3 Great Writers To Start With
In 2050, Nigeria will likely be the 3rd biggest country in the world. With an expected 900 million inhabitants, the country will become China and India’s runner-up. As you can imagine, a country this size has a lot to offer culturally speaking. It’s, therefore, no wonder that the world knows many Nigerian authors. Having said […]
Cultural Reads 2: Brazilian Intuition, Spanish Flamenco, Bosnian War Atrocities
Hi Friends Welcome to the second issue of the Cultural Reads Newsletter. A bi-weekly book, music, and movie recommendation from different countries all around the world. This week covers Brazil, Spain, and Bosnia. 📙 The Alchemist (Brazil) The Alchemist is one of the world’s most popular bestsellers. Although I don’t believe Paolo Coehlo is very popular among Brazilians […]
Cultural Reads 1: Bestseller Nigeria, Manila Chill Pop, French Cultural Thriller
Hi Everyone Welcome to this first issue of the Cultural Reads Newsletter, a bi-weekly book, music, and movie recommendation from different countries all around the world. This week covers Nigeria, France, and the Philippines. 📙 Chinua Achebe (Nigeria) Chinua Achebe is one of Nigeria’s best authors of all time. He grew up in an Igbo family that […]
Brazilian Music | The World of Samba, Bossa Nova & Tropicália
Beautiful beaches, soccer, and Brazilian carnival are some of the first things that come to mind when thinking about the biggest country in South America. But Brazil is also home to Samba music, Bossa Nova, and thousands of talented artists. Its music doesn’t only thrive nationally (Brazilians are allegedly responsible for 5% of Spotify’s revenues) but […]
How to Understand Mexican Music | Interview with Leonardo Prieto
It’s January 2022, we are still in a lockdown, and I’m in a zoom call with Mexican musician Leonardo Prieto. During “normal” times, I could go see his concerts, but now digital is the only option. It would be easy for an artist to focus on the pandemic’s hardships, but Leonardo chose a different path. He […]
Who Are The Best Malian Musicians | A Top 5
This may come as a surprise to some people, but Mali is one of the most diverse musical countries with many famous malian musicians. Home to the desert blues and one of the world’s most famous guitar players, Mali has a lot in store for international music lovers. Before moving to the most important Malian […]
10 Best International Movies of 2020
2020 was a great year to rediscover the joy of watching (international) movies. I was lucky enough to have a housemate with a projector, a big white wall, and a Cineville pass (which is a Dutch subscription to arthouse movie theaters). Due to Corona, Cineville launched a platform with approximately 6 new movies per week that we […]
