In Elvis Is Titanic Ian Klaus describes the year he spent teaching in the Kurdish section of Iraq. Overall, the book is quite similar to the little girl with the curl right in the middle of her forehead. When it is good, it is very good; when it is bad, it is horrid. Horrid occurs when Klaus delves into the history of the Kurds and their relationship with Iraq. Very good comes when he describes his classes—the people in them, what they study and how the students relate to the material. I was impressed by various things in all three areas.
At one point his class reads a speech made by Malcolm in 1965 which includes the following: "The yardstick that is used by the Muslim to measure another man is not the man's color but the man's deeds, the man's conscious behavior, the man's intentions." (page 154) I read such things and have trouble equating Muslims with people whose goals are to kill all humanity that doesn't become Muslim. Maybe I'm missing or misunderstanding something. Anyone care to make whatever it is clear to me?
In one chapter Klaus describes how the university in which he taught has changed. "By 2003, there were four colleges and since then three new ones have been added—in medicine, engineering and architecture—as well as numerous departments, including one devoted to 'the science of the Koran.'" Can we say "creationism"? "Devine intelligence"? Maybe there are similarities between our culture and that of Iraq. If only people would slow down and pay attention.
And as "way leads on to way," Elvis added some books to my to be looked into list—specifically the poetry of Langston Hughes, a Harlem Renaissance book entitled Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, and maybe even The Old Man and the Sea. Alas. So many books, so little time.
Right now I'm now giving Stephen King another chance. Haven't tried one of his in about ten years and I so enjoyed the stories he picked for this year's Best American Short Stories. Here's hopin'.
