Truth or Dare? Reinterpreting Al-Harīrī’s Arab Rogue
Farah Abdessamad reviews a new English translation of Impostures from Basra-born Al-Hariri that revives the "eloquent rogue" genre of classical Arabic literature.
The Imagination Interviews
Dinner at the White House, in the Lion’s Den
Francisco Letelier searches for the truth about his father's assassination in Washington DC while excavating US government complicity in its cover-up.
Secrets, Leaks, and the Imperative of Truth and Transparency
Stephen Rohde on how widespread government secrecy, alongside the punishment of truth-tellers, betrays fundamental principles underlying democracy.
Torture Is the Nasty Center of the 9/11 Case at Guantánamo
In our centerpiece this month, Lisa Hajjar takes us inside the war on terror and the dystopia that is Guantánamo.
Faïza Guène’s Fight for French Respectability
Melissa Chemam considers the sixth novel by France's former teen sensation Faïza Guène and whether she is now part of the literary canon.
In Yemen, Women are the Heroes
International aid worker and writer Farah Abdessamad has been traveling to Yemen for work since 2014. This is the first time she has written about her experiences there publicly.
Decolonizing Art for Art’s Sake
Culture critic and filmmaker Mara Ahmed deconstructs three versions of an opéra-ballet to get at the heart of western racism in mainstream dance performance.
To the Light—Remembering Lawrence Ferlinghetti: 1919-2021
Ammiel Alcalay remembers an American original, poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who was also the publisher and doyen of City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco.
World Picks, February-March ‘21
Travel the world, meet people, see great places, without ever leaving the comfort of your screen…welcome to the pandemic!
The Hidden World of Istanbul’s Rums
Rana Haddad interviews Istanbullu novelist Nektaria Anastasiadou about the little-known Rum community of Istanbul featured in her new novel.
Revolution Viewed from the Crow’s Nest of History
Columnist Melissa Chemam argues we ought to take the long view on the Arab uprisings and remember the many French revolutions by way of precedence.
Hanane Hajj Ali, Portrait of a Theatrical Trailblazer
Nada Ghosn talks to Beirut's powerhouse Hanane Hajj Ali who receives an international theatre award from League of Professional Theatre Women out of New York.
Our Countries’ Orphaned Children
Reviewer Layla AlAmmar finds that "A chain of dark confessions animates Lebanese author Hoda Barakat's sixth novel."
Ten Years of Hope and Blood
In which Egyptian-Syrian-French journalist and novelist Robert Solé considers the Arab awakenings across the region.
The Revolution Sees its Shadow 10 Years Later
Mischa Geracoulis remembers Zahra's Paradise along with the Arab awakenings, George Floyd, Covid-19 and Groundhog Day.