Salaam Reads

The Importance of Publishing Muslim-Themed Children’s Books

Simon & Schuster has established a new imprint of children's books geared towards publishing Muslim characters and stories.
Falling lowercase letters

Do You Even Language, Bro? Understanding Why Nouns Become Verbs

Understanding the phenomenon known as "verbing"--where nouns are turned into verbs. 
satanism

Satanism and Magic in the Age of the Moulin Rouge

How did some of the most illustrious names of fin de siècle French literature end up in a newspaper battle over witchcraft and evil spirits?
Green Island: A novel by Shawna Yang Ryan

“Green Island” Sheds Light on Taiwan’s Tumultuous Past

Shawna Yang Ryan's "Green Island," explores the 2-28 massacre, in which tens of thousands of Taiwanese were killed by Kuomintang troops in 1947. 
Ellen Gallagher

Ellen Gallagher: Questioning Race

Artist Ellen Gallagher interweaves text and images to force viewers to confront and question race in American society. 
The cast of Downton Abbey

Understanding the Popularity of “Downton Abbey”

Downton Abbey's popularity in America may be due to the British culture industry's manufacture of the myth of England itself. 
The Firebrand and the First Lady Portrait of a Friendship: Pauli Murray, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the Struggle for Social Justice By Patricia Bell-Scott

Pauli Murray: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Brilliant (Black, Feminist, Queer, Trailblazing) Friend

Patricia Bell-Scott's new book explores the friendship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Pauli Murray, the poet and civil rights activist. 
Screenshot of Flower from the trailer for the film Bambi.

The Problematic Influence of Disney’s “Bambi”

Bambi has had a pervasive influence on how Americans view nature, and that might not be such a good thing.
Rushdie at Pen America/Free Expression Literature, May 2014. © Ed Lederman/PEN American Center

Is the Fatwa Against Salman Rushdie Real?

$600,000 dollars have been added to the original fatwa against Salman Rushdie. But Khomeini's declaration may not have been a real fatwa after all.
Chasing Rainbows Museum

The Sinful Allure of Southern Theme Parks

Southern theme parks have their roots in sin, regional patriotism, and sideshow culture.