Novels, blogs, democracy

Eulàlia Petit@Barcelonetes is right about exhibitions at Barcelona’s CCCB–too much curation, not enough content. She says a variety of interesting things about the current one, West by East (which actually deals with “Muslim” representations of “the West”), and quotes the Iranian writer, Sorour Kasmaï. Kasmaï says that for her the novel is what defines the…

Sinking Spanish bock

Spain has often been a (reluctant) Francophile, so it should surprise none but heartless materialists that–with an assist from Google Print’s OCR–“Napoleon had beer in secret correspondence with Charles [IV]’s son.” I knew that German technology took over from French after its successful demonstration in 1871, and I’d heard all about the post-WWII triumph of…