la liberté avant tout
The ringleader in traditional garb speaks in short, concise shouts of Arabic. He holds the floor. Another blows the smoke from the hookah pipe into his face and he easily retaliates. No shame there. His deputy to his left motions to a group of western women and their flowing hair who’ve made an entrance. They…
There’s nothing more satisfying than the thoughtful ravings of a wily foreign correspondent who returns home. Especially once it can be melted down into a kind of beautiful soliloquy on the mad state of affairs in the world. That’s what I picked up in Lutz Kleveman’s Wanderjahre: A Reporter’s Journey in a Mad World, a…
Max von Oppenheim, Oriental enthusiast and the Germans’ secret weapon during the First World War A few weeks ago, I made a brief stint in Istanbul, the former capital known as Constantinople in the former Ottoman Empire. Much to the chagrin of my family and loved ones, my boots hit the ground not more than…
The first time I really came to understand that my mind was operating on multiple levels was in early days of elementary school. I brought a friend over to my house to enjoy some snacks and video games. Typical fun time. Though we entered quickly and I headed up the stairs after giving my mom…