August is a month of thresholds. In many parts of the world, it marks the slow turning of a season—the lingering warmth of summer giving way to the first intimations of autumn. It is a month that invites reflection. Literature, too, thrives in such in-between spaces.

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This issue opens with a conversation with Faridoun Farrokh, whose translation of Parsipur's Women Without Men brought renewed attention to one of the most significant works of contemporary Iranian literature. Longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026, the novel continues to resonate with readers across cultures and generations. Our discussion explores the art of translation and the ways in which literature crosses linguistic and geographical boundaries. We also speak with Ian Fennelly, a US-based urban sketcher whose work transforms everyday streetscapes into vivid visual narratives. 

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This month also marks the launch of a new section, StageCraft, dedicated to theatre—its performances, practitioners, and enduring power to bring stories to life. In our inaugural feature, Aadhika Sharma reviews Bound and joins playwright and director Feisal Alkazi in conversation about the creative process, the evolving language of theatre, and the questions that continue to animate the stage.

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Elsewhere in the magazine, readers will find our customary selection of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction from writers across the globe. Diverse in voice and perspective, these works affirm literature's ability to connect us across borders while illuminating the deeply personal experiences that shape our lives.

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In the Visual Arts section, the Wise Owl team examines the resurgence of Neo-Miniaturism in Uncontained Lineages, tracing how contemporary artists are reimagining traditional forms and aesthetics for a new age. 

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Our Reviews section offers a rich variety of reading experiences. We explore The Art of Unboxing by Neera Kashyap, Your Silent Love by Seema Jain, and Fourteen Springs of Separation by Sakoon Singh. Our film review turns its attention to Voicemails for Isabelle, a work that examines grief, connection, and the unexpected ways lives intersect.

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This month's Wise Owl Picks celebrate books that endure. Every Wild Soul offers a moving meditation on identity and belonging; Trust by Hernan Diaz continues to provoke discussion with its intricate examination of wealth, power, and narrative itself; and Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr reminds us of storytelling's extraordinary ability to transcend centuries, cultures, and human experience.

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As you turn these pages, we invite you to linger where curiosity leads you—to a poem, a conversation, a sketch, a play, or a book waiting to be discovered.