Reading

I forgot to update my list, but I've been in a bit of a non-fiction kick lately.

I read Infidel by Ayann Hirsi Ali. Wow. What an incredible story. She had over come SO much. I'm so glad I was born in the US. Really good read.

Next I had to get my fill of trash reading. Kusiel's Mercy by Jaquiline Carey is the sixth novel she's written in this "universe" and I've enjoyed each book. This one is no different. Surprising. Most epic book series tend to get stale. She's done a great job keeping it up. I think then next three books will be written from Melisande's point of view and deel greatly with the Unseen Guild. I think we're going to see her become a much more simpathetic character that will ultimately bring Phedre' and her son into the fold to "save" her. We'll see.

I just finished The Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell. I love reading her stuff because she folds in pop culture references that only a true Gen X'er can apreciate. I also like that she writes about her atheism, too. She's a history nerd and it's fun to see how nerdy she gets - and really revels in her nerdyness.

Currently I'm reading Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? by Morgan Spurlock. Spurlock is the Supersize me guy who does a great TV show called 30 days. He's got a movie coming out by the same name as the book. The first chapter deals with a brief history of Islam and how it's being perverted and by whom. It also goes into the history of Osama. I like that Spurlock mentions in the book that my generation has been geared to fear - something. During the cold war, it was nuclear war and the Russians. Now its the Terrorists. I like that he's putting a face to something that we're being trained to fear. Makes it not so scarry.

You have to understand, I lived briefly in Turkey and saw a secular Islamic state up close and personal. It worked and the women of Turkey (granted, I ran with the upperclass when we lived there) were educated and liberated. After reading Infidel, I began to really dislike the Muslim faith because of how the author really has been terrorized for most of her life. But I think back to good friends from Turkey and former co-workers here in the US and know that just like Christianity, Muslims have their fundy's too. I know this, but it's so hard to separate it out.

I'm worried for Turkey right now. The Parliment is run by Islamic fundamentalists, and recently there was a movement by secular supporters to bring the current government ousted because they were directly violating the church/state separation clauses in their charter (or whatever). The fundies in turn jailed the secularists and are trying them for treason because they were trying to overthrow the government. I'm afraid what's going to happen is that the generals are going to step in and the country is going to descend into turmoil. I have a fondness for Turkey and their people. I don't want to see it destabilize.