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‘Caspian Rain’

Sep 17, 2007
Truthdig is pleased to present these two excerpts from the novel "Caspian Rain" by Gina Nahai, best-selling author of "Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith." In "Rain," her fourth novel, Nahai explores Iran's complex culture through the eyes of a group of memorable characters living in various sectors of society during the years leading up to the Islamic Revolution.
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Goodbye to All That

Sep 8, 2007
Although coverage of books in major newspapers may seem to have taken a precipitous downturn in recent months, this decline has been in the works for a while, says longtime writer, literary editor and book aficionado Steve Wasserman, who opines in this CJR article about the high costs of this lamentable cultural sea change.

War and Censorship at Wilton High

Jun 13, 2007
Students at Wilton High School in Connecticut weren't allowed to discuss the war, unless it was with a military recruiter, so they wrote a play about it. "Voices in Conflict," which was quickly banned by the school, has made it to New York where it brought the audience to tears.

Kurt Vonnegut Dead at 84

Apr 12, 2007
The iconic writer, who challenged conventional wisdom through 14 novels and numerous essays, died Wednesday from a brain injury. Vonnegut survived a nearly lifelong smoking habit only to succumb to a recent fall in his apartment. He once joked that he would prefer to die in a plane crash on Kilimanjaro and said he would avoid suicide "so as not to set a bad example for my children."

Robert Altman Dead at 81

Nov 22, 2006
The auteur filmmaker behind "MASH" died of complications from cancer. An unconventional artist, Altman was nominated for five best-directing Academy Awards over the years, and won an honorary statue this year.

Stolen Art at the J. Paul Getty Museum?

Jun 20, 2006
Negotiators for the J Paul Getty Museum are meeting with Italian authorities to discuss the return of antiquities that Italy claims were stolen For years Italian authorities have accused American museums of purchasing stolen art Also, in New York, a former curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art faces charges of "knowingly buying stolen art".