Five years! It is a milestone worth pausing for, looking back with gratitude, and looking ahead with renewed enthusiasm. The Wise Owl has completed five very satisfying years, and as we step into another chapter of this journey, we continue to do what we set out to do in October 2021: create meaningful spaces for literature and art, and bring readers closer to the people, ideas, and creative impulses that make them come alive.

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Every month, we try to bring something special to our readers, and November is no exception. This edition has a particularly exciting literary flavour, with a Booker-shortlisted author, conversations with two distinguished writers, poetry and fiction from across the globe, and a generous helping of visual art and thoughtful criticism.

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We are delighted to feature an interview with Padma Viswanathan, shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2026 for her novel On Earth as It Is Beneath. It is always a pleasure to bring our readers into conversation with writers whose work is receiving international attention, and we hope you enjoy this opportunity to discover more about her literary world.

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Our Talking Books segment brings two very different literary voices into focus. We speak with Shinie Antony about her latest release, The Haunting of Kunjamma P, and Neel Kamal Puri about her new book, I in the Sky. These conversations offer an opportunity to look beyond the finished book and explore the ideas, experiences, and creative choices that shape a writer's work.

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As always, our poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction pages take us across borders and into lives both familiar and unfamiliar. Writers from around the globe share their poems, stories, and reflections, reminding us that while our circumstances may differ, the need to make sense of the world through words is something we share. It is this diversity of voices that makes these pages such a rewarding part of every issue.

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Art, too, invites us to look again at what we think we know. In our Visual Arts segment, we showcase the work of Gabriele Micozzi, alongside an insightful article by Harmeet Singh that explores the architecture of perception and the value assigned to contemporary art. What makes a work of art valuable? Who determines its worth? And how much of what we see is shaped by the way we are taught to look? These are questions worth lingering over.

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Our review pages offer a varied reading and viewing experience. We review Suddenly the Moon by Anirudh Acharya, Turgescent Twilight by Shikhandin, and Register Me as Kulbhushan by Alka Saraogi. We also turn our attention to the film Best of the Best. Whether it is a book that draws us into another world or a film that stays with us after the credits roll, a good review can open up fresh ways of looking at a work and help us decide where to turn our attention next.

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And if you enjoy discovering books that are generating a buzz, do not miss The Wise Owl Picks. This month, we turn our attention to the Booker Prize shortlist with The Disappearers by Marlon James, The End of Everything by John Harrison, and May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry. We hope these selections will tempt you to add a few more titles to your reading list. After all, there is always room for another book on the bedside table!

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November also brings us an exciting new beginning. We are delighted to announce the launch of The Wise Owl Visual Art Awards 2027. This is a natural extension of our commitment to celebrating creativity in its many forms. We look forward to discovering and recognising artists whose work deserves to be seen and appreciated. 

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Meanwhile, the jury for the Third Edition of The Wise Owl Literary Awards is hard at work evaluating the nominations received this year. The volume of books they have to read, examine, and consider is substantial, and I must say that I take my hat off to them for the time, care, and commitment they are bringing to the task. 

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As I look back on these five years, what gives me the greatest satisfaction is not simply the number of issues ( 60 is no mean feat though) we have brought out, but the community of writers, artists, reviewers, and readers that has grown around the magazine. The Wise Owl has always been a labour of love, sustained by the belief that literature and art deserve spaces where they can be encountered with curiosity, openness, and care. Every contribution, every thoughtful response from a reader, and every new voice that finds its way to our pages adds something to this continuing journey.

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There is much to look forward to, and much more to read, see, and discover together.

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Until next time, dear readers, happy reading!