Cornelia Funke tells stories of fairies and mud monsters, of adventurous girls, a gang of children in Venice ? and her stories somewhere between fantasy and adventure are Germany?s most successful literary export at the moment....
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Die Weltwoche | Merkur | London Review of Books | Literaturen | Der Spiegel
| The Economist | Outlook India | Le point | The New Republic | Elet es Irodalom | Heti
Vilaggazdasag | The Spectator | The New York Times Book Review
Die Weltwoche, 24.11.2005 (Switzerland)
David Signer went to a sanitarium in Vienna to visit Ilse Aichinger, who is being treated for a thyroid gland problem. She talks about the futility of travel and her literary working through of a haunting past. "The father, the bookworm, 'drove the family into ruin with the purchase of five identical editions of Jean Paul,' who left creditors behind him wherever he went and who at the end 'was brought to a psychiatric clinic due to his book debts.' One day the mother said to him, standing in the apartment where one could hardly move for all the book shelves: 'Either us or the books'. And he decided 'quickly, bit not without a certain pang of pain,' for the books."
Merkur, 01.12.2005 (Germany)
What does Unesco actually do? Send a few colouring books to the third world, proclaim memorial days, draft incomprehensible conventions? Wolfgang Kemp writes a veritably evil "unsolicited activity report" for the organisation which seems to him to be "as natural as death and taxes," to quote Gerald Vouga. The prestigious "world cultural heritage" programme receives a double dose of ridicule. Unesco recently declared the remains of Limes to be a world heritage site and called the border wall a "mediator of human values through the development of Roman military architecture." Kemp forewarns: "Soon Helmut Kohl will no longer be able to recognise his 'Theme Park Germany.' Then we'll be forced to be both custodians and decoration in a historical park. Then we'll read daily warnings like: 'The elevation of the B 42 from Erpel could have serious repercussions for the recognition of the Middle Rhine as a world cultural heritage site.'"
London Review of Books, 01.12.2005 (U.K.)
How can there have been so many cases of sexual misconduct by priests in the Irish diocese of Ferns? The "Ferns Report" attempts to clarify. Colm Toibin is utterly disgusted reading it. The report exposes not only the weakness of the flesh but also the boundless, autocratic power of the Catholic Church in Ireland: "the level of abuse in Ferns and the Church’s way of handling it seemed an almost intrinsic part of the Church’s search for power. It is as though when its real authority began to wane in Ireland in the 1960s, the sexual abuse of those under its control and the urge to keep that abuse secret and the efforts to keep abusers safe from the civil law became some of its new tools."
Literaturen, 01.12.2005 (Germany)
With Christmans coming soon, Literaturen has turned to Christianity. Rene Aguigah met the French philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy and was given multitudinous answers to the question of whether Christianity and philosophy can be reconciled. "If being Christian - or Jewish or Muslim or Buddhist – means subordinating thought to a particular order of truth, if being Christian means believing that God created the world and all that, then I must say: no, one can't be a devout Christian and philosopher at the same time. That's absolutely impossible. Thinking begins with a refusal to subjugate oneself to such given facts." On the other hand: "There is no philosophy that wasn't once a theology, even if it may have been a theology in the age after God's death." So, what should one believe if one accepts Nancy's claim that "Monotheism is in reality atheism"?
Der Spiegel, 28.11.2005 (Germany)
Alexander Smoltczyk went to dinner with Giuliano Ferrara (picture). The former communist is now the leading mind of the Neo-cons in Rome. And he is the publisher of "Italy's most exciting newspaper," according to Smoltczyk. "Il Foglio is a magazine of journalistic luxury and intellectual fashions. A lively mix of taz, FAZ-Feuilleton and Osservatore Romano, where you can find two tightly printed pages on the soccer genius Roberto Mancini or the teachings of 'Dominus Jesus' to the congregation of believers. There's a jail page and a chronicle of the best crime stories in the country." Pro-lifer Ferrara is married to an Italo-American feminist. He's on good terms with the USA. In the 1980s "he began to feed the CIA political analysis on a regular basis. 'It didn't make me rich. But I liked the immorality of it. And it was good for my narcissism.'"
The Economist, 25.11.2005 (UK)
The Economist notes with some relief that Al-Qaida is gradually losing the sympathy
of the Arab population, not least as a result of the most recent
attacks in Amman: "It is perhaps more than incidentally ironic that
among the 60 people they killed was Mustapha Akkad, the Syrian-born director who created 'Lion of the Desert'.
His film, glorifying the bravery of Muslim resistance fighters,
happened to be one of the few productions explicitly endorsed on jihadist websites, albeit in a version that replaced the musical soundtrack with religious chants, and cut out all scenes showing women."
Outlook India, 05.12.2005 (India)
This week's issue is dedicated to Indian women, who are becoming more and more influential on the subcontinent. Saumya Roy writes that working mothers have caused a "mama industry" to spring up, because they tend to reinvest their money in activities for their children ranging from Vedic mathematics
courses to enormous birthday parties. "In Delhi, party shops can
arrange for a list of attractions at a birthday party, from Rs 6,000
for a giant wheel to Rs 3,500 for an actor to do imitations of Hindi film actors. In fact, the birthday party market is big enough for Cartoon Network, the highest-watched children's channel, to enter it. Starting next year, the channel will organise Power Puff Girls and Dexter cartoon
theme parties, featuring cartoon characters, decorations, crockery and
return presents, with prices starting from Rs 13,000 for a party of 30 children."
Le point, 24.11.2005 (France)
This week Le Point dedicates its title story to a phenomenon it has dubbed the "iconoclastic wave". With an eye to the current events in France, intellectuals like Alain Finkielkraut, Marcel Gauchet, Luc Ferry, politicians and groups of activists have "finally" upset the division between Left and Right. Claude Imbert looks into
the reasons for this development in an editorial entitled "The
graveyard of beliefs", which also deals with the Socialist Party
convention: "More and more French people are coming to see the
atrociousness of France's situation in its true light: economic decline,
the lack of success in countering unemployment in the suburbs,
isolation in a Europe which has been beaten down by the no to the
referendum. There is only one suitable hope in view of this chaos: reform."
The New Republic, 29.11.2005
This week features a lenghty essay on French anti-Americanism by Paul Berman. After reviewing several books by Pierre Rigoulot and Philippe Roger (reviews), he comes to the surprising conclusion: "France's grandeur is not, after all, entirely an illusion. It may even be a sign of French grandeur today that, at a moment when a more-or-less systematic anti-Americanism has blossomed from right to left all over the world, France has, ever so quietly, made itself the international home of a new literature of anti-anti-Americanism--this new and radical and brilliant literature that has not yet worked a powerful effect around the world, or even on conventional opinion in France, and is certainly not going to produce a sudden shift in outlook, but which, even so, might well turn out to be, in years to come, an event in the history of ideas. A flash of self-awareness. The stirring of an eyeball, breaking through sleep. A new realization, just beginning to awaken."
Elet es Irodalom, 25.11.2005 (Hungary)
"Behind portrayals of immigrants as a homogeneous mass lurks the notion of a symbolic superiority of Europeans," writes cultural anthropologist Peter Niedermüller.
"Certainly, in the immigrant milieu there are religious fanatics,
dangerous criminals, delinquents and families in which women are
subject to constant humiliation, oppression and violence. But it is the
sad truth that the same problems are also present among the majority
populations in Europe. We don't identify the domestic violence which permeates our modern societies with European Christendom.
Nor do we associate those men who regularly beat their children and
wives, or who molest and rape under-age girls and boys, with
Christianity. Equally, we don't identify paedophile priests with
the Catholic church. By the same token, we can by no means identify
isolated forms of radical social behaviour with immigrants and Islam."
Heti Vilaggazdasag, 24.11.2005 (Hungary)
The problems facing the Roma populations in Eastern Europe are one focus of the work carried out by the Soros Foundation. In an interview,
Hungarian-born American billionaire György Soros explains why: "The
Slovakian Roma are the worst-off in the region. They often flee to the
Czech Republic and Hungary, bringing their problems with them... But in
Hungary, too, prejudice against the Roma has hardly abated.
I recently had a terrible experience. In 1944, while Hungary was
occupied by the Nazis, a very respectable, deeply religious woman hid
my mother and me. Today she's 90 years old. When I went to visit her,
she started telling me she reads the conservative daily paper Magyar Nemzet – just
like before the war – and listens to the overtly nationalisitic Hungarian Radio. Then this proper,
decent woman suddenly started mouthing off against the Roma,
saying they lived off the back of society and took advantage of the
country's helpfulness. And anyone who disagrees is a traitor, she said."
The Spectator, 26.11.2005 (UK)
"Every time we get our hopes up, we get punched by some piece of bad news," writes Boris Johnson about his relation to the Iraq War, which he calls "abusive". Now he has been floored by the news that George Bush apparently proposed to blow up al-Jazeera news station in a confidential discussion with Tony Blair. "If his remarks were just an innocent piece of cretinism,
then why in the name of holy thunder has the British state decreed that
anyone printing those remarks will be sent to prison?" Johnson
announces: "If someone passes me the document within the next few days
I will be very happy to publish it in The Spectator, and risk a jail sentence. The public need to judge for themselves." We await the next issue with baited breath!
The New York Times Book Review, 27.11.2005 (USA)
Jesus has nothing to do with the son of God, writes literature critic Harold Bloom in "Jesus and Yahweh", which Jonathan Rosen recommends
wholeheartedly for its rich crop of ideas and contradictions. "Jesus
Christ, as opposed to Jesus, is a later theological construct that owes
a great deal to Hellenic thought. Christ, for Bloom, is a betrayal of Jesus the man, Yeshua, who clearly lived inside a Jewish world,
trusted in the covenant with Yahweh, did not think the Law was death,
and would be appalled at, or at least entirely baffled by, the religion
created in his name."
RSS
In Eurozine the 69-year-old Catalan philosopher Xavier Rubert de Ventos admits to his growing radicality. In Nepszabadsag the 75-year-old writer György Konrad declares: remembering is rebellion. In Artforum the 84-year-old philosopher Artur C. Danto thinks about art and revolution. In The New Republic Anne Applebaum takes a hammer to Nicholson Baker's pacifist polemic "Human Smoke". In Folio Christian Demand sends out a distress signal for art criticism. And the Spectator portrays the Anglican Church's only openly gay Bishop.
In the TLS, tenor Ian Bostridge writes about music under totalitarianism. The New Yorker introduces the millionaire-nerd-led group "Intellectual Ventures". Caffe Europe describes Aldo Moro's attempt to reconcile Church and communism. Nepszabadsag and Elet es Irodalom analyse the frequently misundertood concept of "competition" in Hungary. The London Review of Books explains Thabo Mbeki's motivations for backing Mugabe. And in the Weltwoche, violinist Julia Fischer demonstrates how to put up a wall.
Literaturen searches in the giant haystack of literature on '68 for a book on equal rights. The TLS rediscovers the man who sexed the English language. In Outlook India, political scientist Kishore Mahbubani closes the lid on Western cultural dominance. The New York Review of Books looks at the dominance of the national conservatives in Putin's Russia. Le Monde des livres reports on a clash of historians over the role of Islam in the Middle Ages. The Economist fears for freedom of the press in Eastern Europe. And the New York Times portrays Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswan.
In the Weltwoche, Tom Ford makes the case for full, natural pubic hair. Vanity Fair blames Bill Keller for the diminishing Timesness of the New York Times. In Espresso, Umberto Eco mourns the diminishing importance of the newpapers all together. The Times waves its fork about over the English breakfast. In L'Express, über ad-man Maurice Levy wants to give the industry a complete rehaul. The LRB experiences the joy of French painting, the TLS the joy of German Romanticism, the Economist the joy of Japanese "infantile capitalism and Al Ahram, the joy of Russian photography. The New Yorker conquers English with Li Yang.
Elet es Irodolam knows that 'minor literature' doesn't have to be political to be political. World Affairs defends Hirsi Ali, Bruckner and Berman against Buruma, Garton Ash und Ramadan. Rue 89 works through a black book of censorship. In the TLS professor of geriatric medicine, Raymond Tallis, argues that too much brain is the death of literary criticism. Hector Abad speaks out against literary protectionism in Semana. Outlook India is thoroughly put out: revolution is simply not cricket. And Vanity Fair plunges into icy water with the Russians. 
The New Left Review introduces China's most influential intellectual magazine, Dushu. Outlook India would be embarrassed to be embarrassed by the Dalai Lama. "Generation 1,000 Euro" has made into Italian cinemas, Caffe Europa reports. In Nepszabadsag, philosopher Gaspar Miklos Tama declares an end to the days of anti-Semitic journalism. Folio is bowled over by the musical compositions of electronic engineer William Sethares. The New York Times is transported back to the founding of Liberia. And Vanity Fair picks apart Monsanto.
In the Blätter Jürgen Habermas joins the debate launched by signandsight.com and Perlentaucher about Islam in Europe. Merkur reveals how Adorno pinned his hopes on the Nazis and had them dashed. In La vie des idees philospher Philippe Lacour celebrates the true DJ of digital knowledge. In Literaturen Micha Brumlik reviews the new Carl Schmitt biography by Christian Lindner. Nepszabadsag takes the pulse of the unconscious body of Hungary. In Edge.org evolutionary biologist Iain Couzin explains the importance of one mormon cricket wanting to bite another in the rear. And New Republic puts its favourite Democrat on the cover.
Le debat explains why the press is on its way out. The New York Times is starting to look like the next victim of a hostile takeover by Murdoch, fears Howell Raines in Portfolio. The New Yorker sees the end in sight for the entire American newspaper industry. ResetDoc examines the role of immigrants in the Italian election campaign. In Europa, Leszek Kolakowski philosophises on success. Aharon Applefeld tells Rue89 what he will be writing about when he turns 268. And Die Weltwoche asks whether anyone in German literature is still taking risks.
Vanity Fair exposes a scandalously covert, Bush-approved operation in the Middle East. In the NYRB, Nicholson Baker extols the virtues of the Wiki vandal. Edwy Plenel announces the launch of a new independent online paper Mediapart. L'Espresso sniffs out the diabolicalness of cheese. Expert Sibir sounds out the Siberian art market. And the Economist inspects the tumorous bureaucracy in the belly of the tiger.
The London Review of Books is concerned about second-hand journalism in Britain. Prospect fills us in on the Chinese intellectual scene. Al Ahram explains why Egyptians prefer their flags made in China. Caffe Europa asks: where was Tariq Ramadan when Milan Kundera's book was banned at the Cairo Book Fair. And Gazeta Wyborcza examines the self-confidence of the Polish worker.
A healthy selection this week! Nigerian women should be punished, because they've only got oil on the brain, The Atlantic discovers. Nepszabadsag is amazed: Jan T. Gross has avoided offending the Turkishness of the Poles by the skin of his teeth. Columbian Hector Abad Faciolince sees the human face of Swiss conservatism. The precariat is today's working class, Telerama announces. Al Ahram introduces the first beauty salon for veiled women. And Denis Johnson discovers Paul Wolfowitz's wet dream in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The New York Review of Books sees the future of America in a Harlem hairdressers. In the Gazeta Wyborcza, Serbian historian Slavenko Terzic declares Kosovo's independence illegal. The London Review of Books considers the links between Modernism and liberalism, or the lack thereof. In the Novel Obs, Edgar Morin explains how he became a radical anti-Stalinist. Zanan is dead, long live Zanan! cries Al Ahram. The New York Times portrays the Turkish-Kurdish politician Abdullah Demirbas who wanted to ease the pressure on the Kurds and Armenians to assimilate in Turkey.
Why do Germans like Nicolas Gomez Davila, asks Semana. Le Monde diplomatique goes on a cruise with some Park Avenue ladies. The Spectator buries Venice. Nepszabadsag looks for real Hungarian liberal democrats. In Edge.org, Kevin Kelly looks to the future of the culture industry in the internet. And Portfolio has seen the nemesis of the culture industry in the internet.
The Blätter für deutsche und internationale Politik warns about Google the monster snoop. Merkur has a transcendental experience with Gerhard Richter and Swarovski. Prospect worries about traditional book reviewing. In Nepszabadsag, historian Dusan Kovac looks into the likelihood of Hungarian-Slovakian reconciliation. And the New Statesman searches for the mild Anglican God.