Politics and Tragedy
Wherein lies the tragedy of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination? Common wisdom holds that the implications surrounding the demise of one of Pakistan’s major democratic leaders are tragic. Others hold...
Category: Themes
People of the Book: a review
This is a review of Zachary Karabell's People of the Book: The Forgotten History of Islam and the West. John Murray. 2007. In Samuel Huntington’s The Clash of Civilizations, the author envisioned...
Lion of Jordan: A Review
This is a review of Avi Shlaim's Lion of Jordan: The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace. Allen Lane. 2007. Many volumes on the lives of Israeli and Palestinian politicians, and their involvement...
Words from a Bum Alum on His Distinguished Debt
This one is for everyone who will NOT be smugly 'starting out 2008 debt-free' (I hate people who can actually say that - don't you? Oh, it's a jealousy thing? Really? Fancy that.) Considering the...
New Year’s Resolutions
In this Southern North American region, it is expected of the women to make impassioned New Year's resolutions to lose weight and look younger. Some of us are sincere in our resolve, others make the...
The Mindless Menace of Violence in the Muslim World
One more act of senseless violence greets us in the Muslim world this week. One more suicide bomber or assassin, or whatever we can call them these days, kills others and himself in a moment of...
The Oil and the Glory: A Review
This is a review of Steve LeVine's The Oil and the Glory: The Pursuit of Empire and Fortune on the Caspian Sea. Random House. 2007. Steve LeVine has worked as a freelance journalist for The Wall...
Our Culture
I don’t know if it’s human tendency or just human laziness to sum up a socio-cultural period in a few basic concepts, which may or may not represent the whole. But it sure as hell is human...
Looking Back At Us
For Kaouther Arms brighter than the light of a long summer day, breasts and hair to the taste of Hannibal, ginger, hale, and supple. “Has she no part in you, your mother?” I used to wonder aloud....
The Death Penalty Staggers
The tide has turned against capital punishment in America. The New Jersey legislature abolished its death penalty last week after years of moratorium and state-commissioned study. New York’s death...