The Common has a newly translated chapter of Turki al-Hamad’s novel Al Karadib. Its publication online coincides with the one-year anniversary of al-Hamad’s arrest in December 2012 for “tweets considered apostasy.” This featured chapter is the first part of the book to be translated into English.
“I just like reading, sir—nothing more.”
Believers
Recommended Reading: David Means on his religious beliefs and his Hystopia, one of the most anticipated books of the year.
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Poets Ride Free
One Siberian city is offering free subway rides to passengers who can recite “at least two verses from any poem by Alexander Pushkin.” The obvious corollary would be NJ Transit providing free service to passengers capable of singing “Born to Run” in its entirety.
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Is there anything Teju Cole can’t do?
Teju Cole, author of Open City (which John Knight reviewed for us), is quite the photographer. You can get a glimpse of his Flickr stream over here.
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The Realities of a Tiny House
"AYN: This house was built in 1835 but, as you can see, the antiquated design elements suggest the work of a second-rate architect in love with the past who never had an original thought in his wasted life." Go check out the newest episode of Ayn Rand's Objectivist House Hunters at McSweeney's.