The Dance of Death in Syria-- some dying and others fighting to live

A dance of death is occurring in Syria with the Assad regime to soon be extinct and the rebels fighting for their lives; an in-depth look at what makes Salafi politics tick; Lebanese food to be featured in Portland; and the books of Max Brooks.

The Grim Reaper has found a dance partner in Syria

Arab Saga [2]

Syria images: The dance of life and death

One side is beginning to die and the other is fighting to live.

Tabsir [3]

A new Salafi politics

To understand the political behavior of Salafis today, keep four things in mind: their religious beliefs do not predict their political behavior; they are a minority in almost every Middle Eastern country; the countries where they are a majority are incredibly wealthy; and their appeal and power arises from their commitment to an ultraconservative creed that is out of step with the mainstream.

Alice's Kitchen: Traditional Lebanese Cooking [4]

Alice's Kitchen will be at Portland's Wordstock Book Festival this weekend!

If you're in portland this weekend, please come by the convention center for a great book festival, wordstock, and visit me at booth #815. i will be there signing copies of alice's kitchen: traditional lebanese cooking and The Sweets of Araby, a book for which i illustrated and designed the cover, as well as doing interior illustrations, published last year by Countryman Press, and named a NY Times Notable book for 2011

Z District [5]

Closure. Limited – Zombie Wars – Max Brooks

Our blogging Kuwaiti guy reviews some books by Max Brooks . "Written in his trademark style, these tales are a combination of horror, drama, and socio-political commentary."