After its initial publication in Beirut, Rajaa Alsanea's novel Girls of Riyadh caused a great deal of protest in her native Saudia Arabia. It seems many didn't like her book's depiction of women's lives and loves behind the veil. But in the end the book was made available in the kingdom, and the result was … Continue reading When We Get Behind Closed Doors
Back to School
The University of Texas has posted the reading list for its "Freshman Reading Roundup." New students can choose from any of about forty titles to read this summer before classes begin.For those of us not going to school this fall, the list is still a good source of inspiration for your summer reading. Titles range … Continue reading Back to School
Faking It–Part 2
The Encyclopedia Britannica continues its thumbnail guide to 20th century literary movements. This week it's E through I. My favorite:Inklings, 1940s. English authors with strong Christian beliefs and a preference for pre-19th-century poetry and myth: C. S. Lewis, Perelandra (1943); J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (1954); Charles Walter Stansby Williams, All … Continue reading Faking It–Part 2
