Category: literary life

Iraqi-born Israeli author Eli Amir gave a reading of his new novel, Yasmin, in Cairo.

Amir came to Cairo as a representative of Western culture and as an Israeli writer with all that this entails. “Arab culture’s invasion of Israel,” he said, “began the day after the peace with Egypt, and I am not afraid of it. And to you I say, `Don’t be afraid of exposure to Hebrew culture.’ If we can live in peace, then we should read and get to know each other’s culture.”

Thanks to Jonathan for the link.

On a similar note: Palestinian and Israeli meet at checkpoint, start business together. (Link swiped from Dove’s Eye View.)

Daniel Alarcon’s War by Candlelight gets two reviews this weekend, one from the El Paso Times and the other from his hometown paper.

The Emerging Writers’ Network has joined the blogosphere.

Matt Briggs (The Moss Gatherers) and Kevin Sampsell (Beautiful Blemish) will be reading on Friday July 8th 7:00 p.m. at XV, which is located at 15 SW 2nd Avenue, downtown Portland. Call (503) 790 9090 for details.

Interesting profile of Reza Aslan over at the L.A. Times.

In the eyes of Los Angeles-based religious scholar Reza Aslan, Khomeini’s rise is a metaphor for the hijacking of his faith by power-hungry demagogues, self-serving clergy and the radical fundamentalists behind the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. In Aslan’s new book, “No god but God,” he has become the latest of an emerging group of scholars who are turning to the Koran and the origins of Islam to oppose what they see as its misuse.

If you haven’t read No god but God, I really urge you to. It’s an excellent re-examination of the history of Islam and an inspiring argument for reform.

Another article on the current craze for books about the Middle-East.