Will iconic images recorded in the grooves of an ancient vase unite the Holy Land or rip it further apart?

THE VASE

A novel by Mark M. DeRobertis

Muhsin Muhabi is a Palestinian potter, descended from a long line of potters. His business is run from the same shop owned by his ancestors since the day his forebears moved to Nazareth. The region's conflict saw the death of his oldest son, and rogue terrorists are in the process of recruiting his youngest in their plot to assassinate the Pope and Israeli prime minister.

Professor Hiram Weiss is an art historian at Nazareth’s Bethel University. He is also a Shin Bet operative on special assignment. With the help of fellow agent, Captain Benny Mathias, he plans to destroy the gang responsible for the death of his wife and only child. He puts a bomb in the ancient vase he takes on loan from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.

Mary Levin, the charming assistant to the director of Shin Bet, has lost a husband and most of her extended family to recurring wars and never-ending terrorism. She dedicates her life to the preservation of Israel, but to whom will she dedicate her heart? The brilliant professor from Bethel University? Or the gallant captain who now leads Kidon?

Harvey Holmes, the Sherlock of Haunted Houses, is a Hollywood TV host whose reality show just flopped. When a Lebanese restaurant owner requests his ghost-hunting services, he believes the opportunity will resurrect his career. All he has to do is exorcise the ghosts that are haunting the restaurant. It happens to be located right across the street from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.




Friday, August 27, 2010

Violence in Kid's Literature

Many blogs have been talking about violence in kid's literature, and if it affects them somehow. I don't think it does. I actually remember being a kid, and I was upset when my favorite TV show was cancelled because someone said it was too violent. When I watch DVDs of that show now, The Wild Wild West, with Robert Conrad, is hardly violent compared with what's on TV these days. That show did not impact me in any way as far as violence is concerned. It didn't make me a violent kid. It didn't desensitize me to violence, and it didn't impact me psychologically.

I have two sons, both young still, and they have watched a lot of movies that have violence, and neither have become violent or psychologically bothered.

I haven't read a lot of YA books, but the fact that kids are reading is a good thing. As a teacher, I can say that violence in the school setting is not caused by any violence in literature. Peer pressure is the leading cause, and it has been that way since I was a kid, and it will be that way forever.

Bottom line, be glad kids are reading. It's a much better option to video games and the overt violence there. Leave literature alone.
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