Inspired by Carl Sandburg, Studs Terkel and Nelson Algren, Chicagoan Sam Kuraishi was moved into writing and poetry.
His new book "Alone Under the Prairie Moon" is a collection of poems reflecting his experiences traveling through the prairies of Illinois and the Midwest.
The book is a fun and easy read. It can be inspiring, too. Many Arab Americans and Middle Eastern writers turn towards poetry as the favored form of writing style. Kuraishi, a longtime former magazine publisher in Chicago and writer, has much experience that he shares in a simplistic yet moving style.
Published by Metra Press, Chicago. For more informatio or to order the book, go to www.MetraPressDesign.com.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
New book challenges Arabs and Muslims to defeat extremism to win a Palestinian State
New book challenges Arabs and Muslims to defeat extremism to win a Palestinian State
Chicago -- Palestinians need to overcome the growing movement of secular and religious extremists in their own community before they can be strong enough to overcome the challenges from Israel and create their own independent Palestinian State, says award winning journalist Ray Hanania in a new book "The Catastrophe: The One-State Solution is the No-State Solution. How Palestinians can stand up to the extremistsand create a Palestinian State."
Hanania, whose writings "define the moderate Arab voice," has been a outspoken critic of extremism in the Arab and Muslim community.
Consistently denouncing violence on both sides, Hanania argues in his book that Israelis and Palestinians each face an uncertain future as the extremist secular left partners with the fanatic religious right to use violence prevent peace based on compromise, to advance the so-called "One-State Solution," and to exploit Palestinian suffering as a means of preventing them from the only viable option for statehood, the creation of a Palestinian State in the context of a Two-State Solution.
"We are watching as Palestine is being erased not just from the maps but from reality as Israel's government exploits the failures of our leadership and the uncontrolled emotions of our people," Hanania argues.
"Palestinians are being held hostage by these extremists and fanatics on the left and the right who reject any compromise and who live in a dream of the past that has become our nightmare. To save our people, we must reject the rejectionists, embrace compromise and recognize the reality of our situation in the hopes of someday rebuilding a dream that is the cornerstone of justice."
In the book, Hanania also argues that Palestinians must regain the principled moral stand and cannot succumb to the emotions of their failures over the past 60 years of Israel's existence, writing:
"Being honest about one's mistakes -- and failures -- and acknowledging the reality of history, rather than its myths, is a crucial step towards lifting oneself out of defeat. You cannot make something "better" if you do not honestly acknowledge that things are "bad" or you attempt to do so from a "bad" position. Only those who are "better" can make a situation better. Improve it. Correct it. Bring it back to the moral center.
"But just being 'better,' as a relative statement, is not good enough. You are either pregnant or you are not pregnant. There is no in-between. The road to pregnancy is pregnancy. The road to peace is peace. Either Palestinians have a state or they don't have a state. You either support peace or you don't support peace. Those who use violence to achieve 'peace' are not seeking peace at all. The use of violence is in and of itself a rejection of peace. Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims must answer this important issue correctly. We must clean our own house first before we can insist on cleaning out the houses of others, our 'enemies.' We cannot demand justice from others when we deny justice to others in our actions, in our arguments in our beliefs. Doing so is to deny justice to ourselves."
The book is available directly from the author through his web site at http://www.hanania.com/.
"The Catastrophe"
238 Pages, softcover 7 x 9 trade
$24.95
Ray Hanania Enterprises
PO Box 2127
Orland Park, IL., 60462
Chicago -- Palestinians need to overcome the growing movement of secular and religious extremists in their own community before they can be strong enough to overcome the challenges from Israel and create their own independent Palestinian State, says award winning journalist Ray Hanania in a new book "The Catastrophe: The One-State Solution is the No-State Solution. How Palestinians can stand up to the extremistsand create a Palestinian State."
Hanania, whose writings "define the moderate Arab voice," has been a outspoken critic of extremism in the Arab and Muslim community.
Consistently denouncing violence on both sides, Hanania argues in his book that Israelis and Palestinians each face an uncertain future as the extremist secular left partners with the fanatic religious right to use violence prevent peace based on compromise, to advance the so-called "One-State Solution," and to exploit Palestinian suffering as a means of preventing them from the only viable option for statehood, the creation of a Palestinian State in the context of a Two-State Solution.
"We are watching as Palestine is being erased not just from the maps but from reality as Israel's government exploits the failures of our leadership and the uncontrolled emotions of our people," Hanania argues.
"Palestinians are being held hostage by these extremists and fanatics on the left and the right who reject any compromise and who live in a dream of the past that has become our nightmare. To save our people, we must reject the rejectionists, embrace compromise and recognize the reality of our situation in the hopes of someday rebuilding a dream that is the cornerstone of justice."
In the book, Hanania also argues that Palestinians must regain the principled moral stand and cannot succumb to the emotions of their failures over the past 60 years of Israel's existence, writing:
"Being honest about one's mistakes -- and failures -- and acknowledging the reality of history, rather than its myths, is a crucial step towards lifting oneself out of defeat. You cannot make something "better" if you do not honestly acknowledge that things are "bad" or you attempt to do so from a "bad" position. Only those who are "better" can make a situation better. Improve it. Correct it. Bring it back to the moral center.
"But just being 'better,' as a relative statement, is not good enough. You are either pregnant or you are not pregnant. There is no in-between. The road to pregnancy is pregnancy. The road to peace is peace. Either Palestinians have a state or they don't have a state. You either support peace or you don't support peace. Those who use violence to achieve 'peace' are not seeking peace at all. The use of violence is in and of itself a rejection of peace. Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims must answer this important issue correctly. We must clean our own house first before we can insist on cleaning out the houses of others, our 'enemies.' We cannot demand justice from others when we deny justice to others in our actions, in our arguments in our beliefs. Doing so is to deny justice to ourselves."
The book is available directly from the author through his web site at http://www.hanania.com/.
"The Catastrophe"
238 Pages, softcover 7 x 9 trade
$24.95
Ray Hanania Enterprises
PO Box 2127
Orland Park, IL., 60462
Monday, April 28, 2008
The Foods of Chicago: A Delicious History by WTTW Channel 11 and G. Bradley Publishing
The Foods of Chicago: A Delicious History is a phenomenal book that examines the various ethnic and food servings found in Chicagoland. It was produced in conjunction with the WTTW Channel 11 (Public Television) program hosted by Geoff Baer called "The Foods of Chicago: A Delicious History" which aired recently in Chicago.
The 152 page book with high resolution color photos of each food serving and the food makers (from a wide range of ethnic groups that include Palestinian and Arab foods) is a high quality production available for about $35. You can get information on purchasing the book at www.GBradleyPublishing.com.
Foods covered include Arab/Palestinian, African American, Chinese, Cuban, Lithuanian, Greek, Irish, Italian, Polish, Native American, Jewish, Lebanese, Mexican, Puerot Rican, Swedish, South Asian and Polish. Each recipe features a detailed full color photograph, a recipe and, more importantly, the book puts each recipe into a cultural context with profiles of the many families and individuals who prepared the foods for the book. Three Arab families are included int he book from Chicagoland.
The compelling stories are edited and written by Diane Gannon, Gloria Baracks, Mark Weinstein, Liz Roy, with photography by Katherine Bish. Excellent.
The 152 page book with high resolution color photos of each food serving and the food makers (from a wide range of ethnic groups that include Palestinian and Arab foods) is a high quality production available for about $35. You can get information on purchasing the book at www.GBradleyPublishing.com.
Foods covered include Arab/Palestinian, African American, Chinese, Cuban, Lithuanian, Greek, Irish, Italian, Polish, Native American, Jewish, Lebanese, Mexican, Puerot Rican, Swedish, South Asian and Polish. Each recipe features a detailed full color photograph, a recipe and, more importantly, the book puts each recipe into a cultural context with profiles of the many families and individuals who prepared the foods for the book. Three Arab families are included int he book from Chicagoland.
The compelling stories are edited and written by Diane Gannon, Gloria Baracks, Mark Weinstein, Liz Roy, with photography by Katherine Bish. Excellent.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
New poetry book released
W.W. Norton & Co announces the release the much anticipated:
"Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia, & Beyond"
Edited by Tina Chang, Nathalie Handal and Ravi Shankar
Foreword by Carolyn Forché.
Come celebrate with us on Friday, April 25th, 2008, 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
at The Rubin Museum, New York City
Rubin Museum of Art · 150 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011 · 212.620.5000
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/428980/
http://www.rmanyc.org/index.xml?context=/
Other Readings this Month in NYC:
PEN WORLD VOICES
May 1 Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia, and Beyond
When: Thursday, May 1Where: Segal Theater, CUNY Graduate Center: 365 Fifth Ave. What time: 1–2:30 p.m. With Tina Chang, Nathalie Handal, Ravi Shankar, and special guest poets Free and open to the public. No reservations.
*
Look out for readings nationally and internationally…
www.nathaliehandal.com
Buy your copy now and spread the word:
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Language-New-Century-Contemporary-Poetry/dp/0393332381/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204142667&sr=8-1
"Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia, & Beyond"
Edited by Tina Chang, Nathalie Handal and Ravi Shankar
Foreword by Carolyn Forché.
Come celebrate with us on Friday, April 25th, 2008, 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
at The Rubin Museum, New York City
Rubin Museum of Art · 150 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011 · 212.620.5000
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/428980/
http://www.rmanyc.org/index.xml?context=/
Other Readings this Month in NYC:
PEN WORLD VOICES
May 1 Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia, and Beyond
When: Thursday, May 1Where: Segal Theater, CUNY Graduate Center: 365 Fifth Ave. What time: 1–2:30 p.m. With Tina Chang, Nathalie Handal, Ravi Shankar, and special guest poets Free and open to the public. No reservations.
*
Look out for readings nationally and internationally…
www.nathaliehandal.com
Buy your copy now and spread the word:
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Language-New-Century-Contemporary-Poetry/dp/0393332381/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204142667&sr=8-1
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
"The Transparent Cable" by author Stephen J. Sniegoski
What a phenomenal book and exercise in understanding the challenges of today's Middle East. "The Transparent Cabal: The Neoconservative Agenda, War in the Middle East and the National Interest of Israel" by author Stephen J. Sniegoski is must read to understand the pernicious policies of Western World corruption that have inffected the Middle East and Islamic world and brought injustice and unDemocratic rule.
It has a powerful forward by former Congressman Paul Findley, one of the most brilliant minds on American foreign policy, a victim of the vicious slander of the extremist right and pro-Israeli fanatics who have placed Israel's interests way above principle, the rule of law, morality and justice for both Arabs and Israelis.
The book will be published June 15, 2008. It attempts and can help invigorate the lack of national discussion and debate on the war crimes of President George W. Bush -- that one day will, hopefully, be prosecuted -- and on the failed policies of the US invasion of Iraq and how Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld help create a training ground and expanded presence for al-Qaeda terrorism in the Middle East that plague us till this day far worse than the terrorist crimes of Sept. 11, 2001.
For too many years, Americans were prohibited from having this debate, accused of being unpatriotic by neocons and American extremists who never even served in the military themselves. hypocrits who exploited American fears to undermine the American Constitution and deny civil rights to people based on race and religion and national origin. These policies erode the fundamental strength of the vision of a genuine American democracy and set the stage for the nation's destruction.
With new leadership, an open and honest national debate and discussion, and Sniegoski's book, this could all change for the better and terrorism may one day be wiped clean from humanity.
end
It has a powerful forward by former Congressman Paul Findley, one of the most brilliant minds on American foreign policy, a victim of the vicious slander of the extremist right and pro-Israeli fanatics who have placed Israel's interests way above principle, the rule of law, morality and justice for both Arabs and Israelis.
The book will be published June 15, 2008. It attempts and can help invigorate the lack of national discussion and debate on the war crimes of President George W. Bush -- that one day will, hopefully, be prosecuted -- and on the failed policies of the US invasion of Iraq and how Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld help create a training ground and expanded presence for al-Qaeda terrorism in the Middle East that plague us till this day far worse than the terrorist crimes of Sept. 11, 2001.
For too many years, Americans were prohibited from having this debate, accused of being unpatriotic by neocons and American extremists who never even served in the military themselves. hypocrits who exploited American fears to undermine the American Constitution and deny civil rights to people based on race and religion and national origin. These policies erode the fundamental strength of the vision of a genuine American democracy and set the stage for the nation's destruction.
With new leadership, an open and honest national debate and discussion, and Sniegoski's book, this could all change for the better and terrorism may one day be wiped clean from humanity.
end
"The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State" by author Noah Feldman
Noah Feldman's book "The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State" conveys many of the common stereotypes and political assertions that have undermined justice in the Middle East, Arab World and Islamic World. Althoug it offers some deep thought, it is consumed by common stereotypes: for example in Iran, the author argues that Islamicists merged Islamic law with political government, but really doesn't put the blame where it belongs, on the corruption of American and Western foreign policy which helped create confrontation pushing Muslims into a corner in the world that they have learned to dominate and use as a base for expansion.
Iran was governed by one of the most brutal secular tyrants in the world, the Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi. He was a murderer worse than Saddam Hussein or even Hitler and yet he had the bacing and support of the American government for years as he oppressed his people. When the people of Iran rose to force the Shah out of office -- fighting against the Shah and his American supporters -- the natural reaction was to turn to an extremist Islamic code of justice to compensate for the American corruption that the Shah represented.
Of course, the author does not address the role of Israel, another instance where Western powers sought to impose political situations on the Middle East only to have created a situation where Christians and Muslims were plagued with Western-style injustice. The response, again, has been an extremist rise of anger against Israel and the West, pushing the two sides to extremist ends.
Never criticism of Israel, of course or its role in pushing the Islamicists to the extreme.
If you strip away the politics and perceptions -- which is difficult -- Feldman does try to offer an analysis of today's Islamic world challenges in today's context. His historical narrative is very accurate in many instances. But the bottom line is that no one can expect the Islamic World to embrace legal reform and the rule of law when it is not practiced in other parts of the Middle East, especially in Israel and in Iraq, which is today an American occupied wasteland and killing field.
The real challenge is to address the hypocrisies of the Western World as it applies to Islam and how the failings of the Western World have made it almost impossible to establish true Democracy in those Islamic countries.
The best answer to the Islamic challenge is to practice what you preach and set an example, rather than explaining how the Islamic World has failed to evolve to meet our, Western, expectations.
A great read, despite some need to reinforce missing aspects of the story.
END
Iran was governed by one of the most brutal secular tyrants in the world, the Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi. He was a murderer worse than Saddam Hussein or even Hitler and yet he had the bacing and support of the American government for years as he oppressed his people. When the people of Iran rose to force the Shah out of office -- fighting against the Shah and his American supporters -- the natural reaction was to turn to an extremist Islamic code of justice to compensate for the American corruption that the Shah represented.
Of course, the author does not address the role of Israel, another instance where Western powers sought to impose political situations on the Middle East only to have created a situation where Christians and Muslims were plagued with Western-style injustice. The response, again, has been an extremist rise of anger against Israel and the West, pushing the two sides to extremist ends.
Never criticism of Israel, of course or its role in pushing the Islamicists to the extreme.
If you strip away the politics and perceptions -- which is difficult -- Feldman does try to offer an analysis of today's Islamic world challenges in today's context. His historical narrative is very accurate in many instances. But the bottom line is that no one can expect the Islamic World to embrace legal reform and the rule of law when it is not practiced in other parts of the Middle East, especially in Israel and in Iraq, which is today an American occupied wasteland and killing field.
The real challenge is to address the hypocrisies of the Western World as it applies to Islam and how the failings of the Western World have made it almost impossible to establish true Democracy in those Islamic countries.
The best answer to the Islamic challenge is to practice what you preach and set an example, rather than explaining how the Islamic World has failed to evolve to meet our, Western, expectations.
A great read, despite some need to reinforce missing aspects of the story.
END
Inclined to Speak: a collection of Arab poetry
"Inclined to Speak" offers a broad array of poetry from some of Arab America's best modern poets. The book is edited by Hayan Charara and includes many of the well known poets in the community who write often and are found throughout the Arab American community. The poetry addresses everything from love to politics and begins with a very lengthy introduction by Charara on the state of Arab American poetry today.
This will reach many Arab Americans but Arab American poetry hasn't yet broken through to mainstream Americans -- some, but not enough.
END
This will reach many Arab Americans but Arab American poetry hasn't yet broken through to mainstream Americans -- some, but not enough.
END
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