Reading Over the Weekend: Blood has a Voice by Hestelle van Staden

Reading over the weekend with Patricia Furstenberg

Welcome to Reading Over the Weekend, where reality can send a chill down your spine without the help of Halloween. This weekend I’m exploring Blood Has a Voice: Stories from the Autopsy Table by Hestelle van Staden, a sobering glimpse into the world of forensic pathology in South Africa, where daily violence leaves its mark, the dead have stories to tell, and someone must listen.

28/10/202628/10/2026

When an Old Map of Constantinople Meets Istanbul City Today

Istanbul Galata bridge view of Europe and Asia Moody Monochrome Waterfront with Fishermen

While looking at an old map of Constantinople, Istanbul today, I felt lost even if I knew my way around. Some buildings were there, while others not yet. Old maps can be unsettling, but ancient maps of cities you just visited even more so.

14/09/202601/09/2026

Slow Gun Poetry: Romanian Words That Endure

Slow Gun Poetry, as Romanian Words That Endure, is inspired by this year’s theme of the Bucharest International Poetry Festival Slow Gun Poetry — Poezie cu bătaie lungă (Long-Range Poetry) inspired by poet Cezar Ivanescu’s reflection on the force of a single mark on a sheet of paper: how a single word can spark ideas, shape consciousness and even ignite revolutions.

This International Poetry Festival is at its 16th edition and takes place in Bucharest, 14-20 September 2026. All images in this blog post depict Bucharest.

31/08/202625/07/2026

Courage to Keep Living in 3 Stories That Will Make You Hum The Sound Of Silence by Disturbed

Discover three historical short stories by Elizabeth St. John, Antoine Vanner, and Kathy Hollick-Bater that echo the themes of isolation, emotional disconnection echoed by The Sound Of Silence by Disturbed.

24/08/202625/07/2026

When Everything Is Taken Away, 3 Stories Embracing the Spirit of Brothers In Arms, Dire Straits

Discover three historical fiction stories by Derek Birks, Judith Arnopp, and Jean Gill breathing he same atmospheric mood as the unforgettable tune Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits.