Literature and Lullabies

From NPR
Literature and Lullabies from the 'Axis of Evil'

Morning Edition, October 12, 2006 · Literature from the "Axis of Evil", gathers short stories and poems from three countries that once received that label from President Bush -- Iraq, North Korea and Iran. Additional material in the collection comes from Syria, Cuba, Sudan and Libya.

Steve Inskeep speaks about the book with Azar Nafisi, an Iranian-born writer, whose own works include Reading Lolita in Tehran. She says that writing can offer insights into a country that aren't part of the official government line.

"LULLABIES FROM THE AXIS OF EVIL"

In a separate project, President Bush's "Axis of Evil" speech influenced music producer Erik Hillestad to record lullabies sung by women from countries deemed U.S. enemies. "Lullabies lead us to the deepest and most fundamental way of communication between human beings," he says in the CD's liner notes.

• 'Dileol' ('Sleep, My Child') Amel Kthyer and Halla Bassam (Iraq), Eva Dahlgren (Sweden)
• 'Stars Are Rising' - Sun Ju Lee (North Korea), Eddi Reader (Scotland)
• 'Lalalala Gohle Laleh' - Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat (Iran)

theteach