Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The University of Iowa Press is publishing a collection of poetry written by Guantanamo detainees, according to the Wall Street Journal:
Many of the poems are explicitly religious, beseeching Allah to free their authors or relieve the authors' loneliness. "Oh, God," writes Abdulla Thani Faris al Anazi, a double amputee who has been imprisoned since 2002, "Grant serenity to a heart that beats with oppression/And release this prisoner from the tight bonds of confinement." He is accused of being an Islamic militant.
Others are sentimental. The poetry of Osama Abu Kabir, a Jordanian relief worker arrested in Afghanistan and accused of belonging to al Qaeda, expresses his dreams of being reunited with his family.
"To be with my children, each a part of me/to be with my wife and the ones I love/to be with my parents, my world's tenderest hearts," he writes. "I dream to be home, to be free from this cage."
Most of the poems carry political messages denouncing the Bush administration. "America, you ride on backs of orphans/and terrorize them daily," writes Mr. Haj, the al-Jazeera cameraman accused of supporting al Qaeda. "I am a captive, but the crimes are my captors'."
Many of the poems are explicitly religious, beseeching Allah to free their authors or relieve the authors' loneliness. "Oh, God," writes Abdulla Thani Faris al Anazi, a double amputee who has been imprisoned since 2002, "Grant serenity to a heart that beats with oppression/And release this prisoner from the tight bonds of confinement." He is accused of being an Islamic militant.
Others are sentimental. The poetry of Osama Abu Kabir, a Jordanian relief worker arrested in Afghanistan and accused of belonging to al Qaeda, expresses his dreams of being reunited with his family.
"To be with my children, each a part of me/to be with my wife and the ones I love/to be with my parents, my world's tenderest hearts," he writes. "I dream to be home, to be free from this cage."
Most of the poems carry political messages denouncing the Bush administration. "America, you ride on backs of orphans/and terrorize them daily," writes Mr. Haj, the al-Jazeera cameraman accused of supporting al Qaeda. "I am a captive, but the crimes are my captors'."
Labels: Guantanamo detainees, poetry, War on Terror
Friday, June 15, 2007
Slate has a humorous "The Sopranos"-inspired take on how the Harry Potter saga will end. For my take on the final "Sopranos" episode, click here.
Labels: "The Sopranos", Harry Potter
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Copeland links to a site where writers discuss their favorite book-to-film adaptations. "Out of Sight" and "1984" are two of my favorites.
My opinions of film adaptations often depend on whether I've first read the book and then seen the film, or vice versa. I'm convinced that first reading "A Civil Action", which was a superb book, spoiled my appreciation for an otherwise good film. On the other hand, I loved the film "Sideways", which I saw before I read the novel upon which it is based. The film captured the spirit of the book and its characters, but it made some significant departures that were probably necessary to adapt the story from one medium to another. However, I might have quibbled with those changes had I read the book first.
Worst adaptation? For my money, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
My opinions of film adaptations often depend on whether I've first read the book and then seen the film, or vice versa. I'm convinced that first reading "A Civil Action", which was a superb book, spoiled my appreciation for an otherwise good film. On the other hand, I loved the film "Sideways", which I saw before I read the novel upon which it is based. The film captured the spirit of the book and its characters, but it made some significant departures that were probably necessary to adapt the story from one medium to another. However, I might have quibbled with those changes had I read the book first.
Worst adaptation? For my money, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
Labels: criticism, film adaptations
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Powell's is producing a series of short films about authors. The first is about Ian McEwan.
Labels: Ian McEwan, Powell's
