Tag: Books and literature

Spain: Emerging from the Labyrinth / I grew up in Spain amid a collective amnesia about Franco. It is time we faced up to our dark past

María Ramírez Franco’s Crypt: Spanish Culture and Memory Since 1936 – by Jeremy Treglown Reviewed by Jeremy Adelman On August 19, 1936, militiamen loyal to General Francisco Franco murdered Spain’s famous poet and dramatist Federico García Lorca. Afterward, one of the killers, the Falangist Juan Trecastro, burst into a local bar and said, “We’ve just… Read More Spain: Emerging from the Labyrinth / I grew up in Spain amid a collective amnesia about Franco. It is time we faced up to our dark past

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We Did OK, Kid: Antony Hopkins looks back on a tumultuous life

As the actor approaches his 90th year and publishes an autobiography, he reflects on his early years on stage, being inspired by Laurence Olivier, becoming a Hollywood star and conquering his demons Steve Rose ‘What’s the weather like over there?” asks Anthony Hopkins as soon as our video call begins. He may have lived in California for… Read More We Did OK, Kid: Antony Hopkins looks back on a tumultuous life

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Nobel Prize in literature goes to Hungarian novelist for work confronting ‘apocalyptic terror’

Christian Edwards The 2025 Nobel Prize in literature has been awarded to László Krasznahorkai, a Hungarian writer who said his dark and difficult novels aim to examine reality “to the point of madness.” Announcing the prize at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, on Thursday, the Nobel Committee praised Krasznahorkai “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre… Read More Nobel Prize in literature goes to Hungarian novelist for work confronting ‘apocalyptic terror’

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Against the crime of silence: Bertrand Russell’s War Crimes in Vietnam (1967)

NB: This book changed my life. I read it when I was seventeen. Along with Palestine, Vietnam’s valiant struggle against American imperialism was the epic of our generation. I will salute the Vietnamese people till the end of my days. DS “There are few parallels with the war in Vietnam. It has lasted nearly two… Read More Against the crime of silence: Bertrand Russell’s War Crimes in Vietnam (1967)

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Peter Beinart: ‘What Israel Is Doing in the Name of the Jewish People Is a Desecration’

Itamar Katzir From his home in New York City, Peter Beinart watched in amazement as hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets during the first “day of disruption” in August. Peter Beinart – “Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning” | The Daily Show The 54-year-old Jewish American journalist and commentator… Read More Peter Beinart: ‘What Israel Is Doing in the Name of the Jewish People Is a Desecration’

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Who was Frank Thompson / A Very English Hero: The Making of Frank Thompson by Peter Conradi – review

Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters revives interest in British major shot in Bulgaria by Kristen Ghodsee When former Pink Floyd front man, Roger Waters, visited Bulgaria in August, one of his must-see sights was the grave of Major Frank Thompson, in the village of Litakovo outside of Botevgrad. If you are exiting from the Sofia Metro… Read More Who was Frank Thompson / A Very English Hero: The Making of Frank Thompson by Peter Conradi – review

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Shahab Ahmed, prominent Islamic scholar (1966-2015)

Beena Sarwar Prominent Islamic scholar Shahab Ahmed, originally from Pakistan, was laid to rest on Saturday morning at the historic Mt. Auburn cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, his adopted home. Born in Singapore on Dec 11, 1966, he passed away on Sept 17, 2015 in Boston. Dr. Ahmed’s former student Suheil Laher, currently a lecturer on… Read More Shahab Ahmed, prominent Islamic scholar (1966-2015)

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