This Cavafy poem warns about leaving a country because of our disappointment. It’s a useful caution for those who fantasize leaving Trump’s America.
Tag Archives: tyranny
Les Misérables Aided Civil War Soldiers
Hugo’s “Les Misérables” was a hit with Civil War soldiers. An article explores the reasons why.
Satan and Trump, Gifted Demagogues
Satan in “Paradise Lost” is a gifted leader who manipulates people for his own selfish ends–like a certain American president.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged authoritarian leaders, Constitution, Donald Trump, John Milton, Paradise Lost Comments closed
Gatsby in Iran: A Dream Betrayed
The Iranian authorities allowed Nafisi to teach “The Great Gatsby” because they regarded it as an expose of American materialism and decadence. And certainly it has that dimension. But Nafisi focused more on how the work explores the betrayal of dreams. Both countries have experience with that betrayal.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Azar Nafisi, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Great Gatsby, Reading Lolita in Tehran Comments closed
Reviewing Lolita in Tehran
Yesterday’s mention of Azar Nafisi’s Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books gave me an excuse to go back and reread that marvelous book. The work embodies the central premise of this website: that literature can come to our aid when we need it most, helping us negotiate even the most difficult of […]
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Azar Nafisi, oppression, Reading Lolita in Tehran, Thousand and One Nights Comments closed
