Secret, famous pseudonymsNom de Plume: A (Secret) History of PseudonymsBy Carmela Ciuraru(Harper/HarperCollins)In the annals of literature, pen names have long created as much intrigue about the authors as the pieces they write.Carmela Ciuraru‘s “Nom de Plume” deftly tells the stories of some of literature’s most famous pen names by weaving in details about these secretive, often eccentric writers

Got a tweener child with a taste for creepy horror and time-travel stories?Send them “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.”This first novel by Ransom Riggs deals with young Jacob Portman and his quest to find out the truth behind his Grandpa’s wild stories.What he finds is the classic quest story and more. The story has elements of fantasy, adventure, adolescence and grief. (Note: The open

Sebastian Junger and photojournalist Tim Hetherington produced and directed the film “Restrepo: One Platoon, One Year, One Valley,” which won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and was a best documentary Oscar nominee.It documented five trips in and out of eastern Afghanistan, where they were embedded with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Now, Junger’s book “War” (Twelve Publishers, $15.99), new

“Brunch” has been labeled as luxury in Korea. Lovers of bistro food ― called “brunch” by Koreans ― have had to train their appetites to accept small portions served on a big plate.NOVIA e NOVIO, “girlfriend and boyfriend” in Spanish, is a stylish bistro where people can dine on casual western food with big portions at a relatively low price.Located in Dogok-dong, Gangnam, the restaurant presents a

Pyeonsu is a steamed square dumpling stuffed with vegetables and beef. Pyeonsu is served chilled or floating in a cool soy sauce soup. It is a summer delicacy. The dish gets its name from the Chinese characters for the word, “Pyeonsu” which means “a small fragment on the water.”Pyeonsu (Institute of Korean Traditional Food)Ingredients● Broth: 200 g beef (brisket, shank), 10 cups water, ½ tbsp clea

Famed winemaker Philippe Melka meets with Korean sommeliers to create two special winesNapa Valley-based winemaker Philippe Melka did his research starting in 2005 to create two wines tailored for Korean palates. “I talked to mostly Korean sommeliers and restaurant managers,” the 46-year-old told The Korea Herald. A pattern emerged. It looked like 80 to 90 percent of the market was cornered by Fre

BETHESDA, Maryland (AP) ― If he keeps playing like this, Rory McIlroy’s next chance to close out a major should come very soon.McIlroy, who blew a four-shot lead in the final round of the Masters, is on top at the U.S. Open, shooting a 6-under-par 65 on Thursday to take a three-stroke lead over Yang Yong-eun and the man who wound up taking the green jacket, Charl Schwartzel.There’s still a lot of

Canucks fans jump onto a destroyed car during a riot in Vancouver, Canada, June 15, 2011. (Xinhua-Yonhap News)Riot police look on as two police cars burn during a riot in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia Wednesday, June 15, 2011 following the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins in game 7 of the Stanley Cup hockey final.(AP-Yonhap News)VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) _ Almost 150 p

This artist's image provided by the University of Warwick shows a star being distorted by its close passage to a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy. (AP-Yonhap News)LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Astronomers think they have solved the mystery of an extraordinary flash spied in a faraway galaxy, saying it came from a massive black hole that devoured a star after it wandered too close.The awesom

North Korea said Friday that it will dispose of South Korean assets seized or frozen at Mount Kumang under its new law regarding the scenic mount resort.The North also said Hyundai Asan Corp., a key operator of the tour project for the scenic mountain just north of the heavily armed border, should come to the table by the end of the month for talks over the disposal of the assets, according to the

LONDON (AFP) -- Harry Potter fans were abuzz with excitement on Thursday after creator JK Rowling launched a mysterious web site counting down to the announcement of a new project.A spokesman for the multi-million selling writer said the new enterprise was not a new book and was not related to the upcoming release of "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2", the final film in the epic saga.S

Park Sol-mi(left) and Han Jae-seok in traditional costumes for the KBS drama "Merchant Kim Man-deok (KBS)Actor Han Jae-seok and actress Park Sol-mi have been in a romantic relationship for a month, her agency confirmed Friday. Han, 38, and Park, 33, starred in the KBS epic drama “Merchant Kim Man-deok,” which ended last June.Both had denied rumors about their romance, which had begun to circulate