The Protocols of the Elders of Sodom: and Other Essays [Hardcover]

Tariq Ali (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 21, 2009

Provocative and witty essays on the giants of world literature.

These provocative essays explore the links between literature, history and politics, through an examination of the work of Cervantes, Tolstoy, Proust, Musil, Roth, Platonov, Soltzhenitsyn, Grossman, Munif, Rushdie and others. Tariq Ali draws out common themes as well as polarities, and in each case locates the writer and his or her work in the appropriate political and historical context. The title essay is inspired by one of Proust’s lesser-known reflections: if Zionism seeks a biblical homeland for the Jews on the basis of persecution, why not also look for a biblical homeland for gays and lesbians? This collection, showcasing Tariq Ali’s range and polemical verve, will be sure to attract critical attention and a wide readership.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Ali's style is vigorous, his narrative compelling, showing that the short-term, self-interested and oil-greedy policies of the British and Americans in such countries as Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran must make our much-vaunted ideals of democracy and equity seem like a bad joke." - Karen Armstrong, The Times "Urbane, highly intelligent and vividly written. One hopes this fine study will earn no fatwa." - Richard Sennett, Times Literary Supplement"

About the Author

Tariq Ali is a writer and filmmaker. He has written more than a dozen books on world history and politics—including Pirates of the Caribbean, Bush in Babylon, The Clash of Fundamentalisms and The Obama Syndrome—as well as five novels in his Islam Quintet series and scripts for the stage and screen. He is an editor of the New Left Review and lives in London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 294 pages
• Publisher: Verso; First Edition edition (July 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844673677
• ISBN-13: 978-1844673674
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #556,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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