Stories about Literature from March, 2008
Jamaica: Hope & HIV
“Behind the images of hedonism in Jamaica, the specter of AIDS has overshadowed the glitter and garish of the Tourist Board commercials,” writes Geoffrey Philp, as he blogs about Hope: Living and Loving with HIV – a multi-media reporting project which he says “is not just an extended essay with...
Israel: Israeli Vietnamese Poet is Rising Star
“Vaan Nguyen, the 26-year-old, Israeli-born daughter of Vietnamese refugees… is being hailed as one of the country's provocative and innovative young poets,” Dion Nissenbaum reports.
Jamaica, Cuba: Poetry in Motion
Jamaican Geoffrey Philp blogs about MiPOesias Magazine's newly released issue, which he says “showcases the work of poets of Cuban descent who live in the U.S…no matter the subject, these poems blend the romance and sorrows of the past with a crisp view of daily life.”
Russia: Russian Reading Challenge 2008
Megan Case reviews novels by Andrei Makine and Olga Grushin for the Russian Reading Challenge 2008 at Ex Libris.
Burkina Faso: Home of black bags, baobabs and cute kids?
This roundup will begin with some old business. From Stephen Davis of Voice in the Desert: His book Sophie and the Albino Camel is up for the Norfolk Shorts shortlist of books under 150 pages. While he won’t know the outcome until April 16, he did expound on why he loves writing short fiction.
Russia: Russians/Americans “are NOT stupid”
Finally, a Russian answer (RUS) to the famous/infamous “Americans are NOT stupid” video (via LJ user maliar, RUS).
Russia, Ukraine: The Nose; Andropov vs Khrushchev
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis, in the March 25 entry, pays tribute to “The Nose” by Nikolai Gogol and quotes from Yuri Andropov's 1970 proposal to suppress Nikita Khrushchev's memoir.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Writing a Book on Sarajevo
Pure Intent is working on a book on Sarajevo – and is asking his readers to share ideas: “It's your city too. What we're lookin’ for is nothing ordinary….quite the opposite actually. I want to tell stories of the water fountains, of the zanatlija, of tucano kahva, how we hid...
Guyana: Commonweath Writers’ Prize
Signifyin’ Guyana notes that among the regional winners of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize “was Guyanese-born, Nigerian-based Karen King-Aribisala for Best Book.”
Israel: Shakespeare Was a Jewish Woman?
The Bard's identity has long been a matter of debate, but a new candidate has entered the scene. Could Shakespeare have been an Italian Jewish woman? Jewcy's John Hudson provides eight pieces of evidence to convince you.
Barbados, UK: RIP Arthur C. Clarke
Barbadian bloggers Notes From The Margin and Pull! Push! acknowledge the passing of “noted science fiction writer and visionary” Arthur C. Clarke.
Sri Lanka: Remembering Arthur C Clarke
The death of Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - 2008) has many people - some who are ardent enthusiasts of science fiction, and others who know of him blogging about their reflections on the man. From a fleeting glimpse, to an incidental conversation, Clarke is remembered fondly by many Sri Lankan bloggers as a visionary and a futurist. The British author moved to Sri Lanka in 1956 and lived there ever since.
Sri Lanka: Arthur C Clarke
Gallicissa on the death of Arthur C Clarke – who lived in Sri Lanka from 1956 till his death in 2008.
Poland: Arts, Posters and More
Polandian writes about Polish artists and Polish poster art, and posts another installment of the Inside Warsaw series: Q-U.
Russia: Bulgakov, Bukharin and the Trial of the 21
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis posts episodes from Mikhail Bulgakov's Master and Margarita that feature Nikolay Bukharin (portrayed in the novel as “Nikolay Ivanovich, a ‘tenant from the ground floor'”). Also, there's a related item on the 1938 Trial of the 21 – co-authored by Dmitry Minaev for ExecutedToday.com.
Iran: Writing about a fictional character can lead to jail
Khabgard writes [Fa] Iranian writer,Yaghoub Yaadali, was sentenced to three months in jail, suspended for nine months, last September because of one of his fictional character.In his book, The Rules of Restlessness, a fictional character has an affair with a woman from an ethnic Bakhtiari village.Read more in English.
Blogger of the Week: Renata Avila Pinto
A lawyer by profession, Renata Avila Pinto brings us the voices of bloggers from Guatemala on Global Voices Online. Amira Al Hussaini interviews Renata about her voyage with blogging, her likes and dislikes and hopes for the future, in today's Blogger of the Week series.
Jamaica, Haiti: Felix Morisseau-Leroy
“Although the controversy still rages in Jamaica about English vs patwa or ‘nation language'…from as early as 1958, Felix Morisseau-Leroy was writing plays and poems in Kreyol”: Jamaican Geoffrey Philp pays tribute to the Haitian writer.
Cuba: “My Life” in Hindi?
Child of the Revolution reports that there are plans to translate Fidel Castro's biography into three ancient languages, “with Castro sharing his views and thoughts on issues as diverse as French cheese and solar panels. No, it's not a fun read.”
Togo Book Fair
Togo-iTunes has photos of a francophone book fair [Fr] at the Librairie Star bookshop in Lome.
