Literature From The Axis of Evil
September 25, 2006 Monday 3PM CT
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This hour on Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders, Jean Feraca and her guests discuss literature from "the axis of evil."
Guest
- Alane Mason, senior editor at WW Norton, creator of The Words Without Borders website and editor of the anthology, Literature From the Axis
of Evil.
- Khaled Mattawa, teacher in the MFA creative writing department at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He has translated frive books of contemporary Arabic poetry and co-edited two anthologies of Arab American literature.
Related Links
Listener Comments
- Amos 9/27/06: "I think that you and your guest's acceptance of Bush's 'Axis of Evil' [in the show] in describing nations such as Iran or Cuba was flatly one of the most obscene things I have ever heard on your show in the 20 yrs I have been listening to you. You have used your power as a radio host to validate a highly evil and dangerous term, however cute and catchy you and your clueless guest may think the term is, a term which is CLEARLY designed to demonize whole nations of people and to justify the murder of thousands or even millions of people in the future. I consider myself about as far from being politically correct as one can get, but words do have meaning, and if you can tell me one which is more insidious and loaded today than the 'Axis of Evil' I'd like to know what it is. I have always pegged you as being one of the people at WPR who understands the power of words, and how you of all people can sit in your cozy studio at WPR and justify using this term except to anylyse and discredit it, is completely beyond me. If and when US bombs start killing children in Iran in large numbers, maybe you will then have the decency to go on the air and apologize to your listeners for serving as an agent back in Sep 2006 for the hateful propaganda which allowed this to be justified to the American people. TOTALLY disgraceful, nearly as disgraceful as the actions of the editor and publisher of this book, as well as the writers who agreed to remain part of this anthology after learning what the title would be."
- Lisa 9/26/06: "While driving home from Madison yesterday, I happened across your show. I was so riveted that when the WHAD signal faded I seriously considered pulling off the expressway and heading back to Wisconsin. You asked intelligent questions of both the WWB editor (Alane Mason) and the translator (Khaled Mattawa) and graciously guided the conversation while still letting them speak at length. It was a pleasure to discover a whole hour devoted not only to literature but literature in translation from pariah nations. I will ask my local public radio station (WBEZ) to carry your program through the Ideas Network. Thank you!"
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