As Condoleezza Rice bemoaned the dearth of Farsi and Arabic speakers at the State Department, a NY Congressman recommended the 24+ military linguists canned for being gay.
John Banville praises Martin Amis’ House of Meetings, “a version of the great Russian novel done in miniature.” Elsewhere, Amis says he’s “very stirred up” by The Passion of the Christ.
“Every time [Francine Prose] brings out a new book (she is depressingly diligent), I find myself grumbling, ‘Her again?’”
Zeebah unearths a strange but fascinating collection of insulting Victorian valentines. Here’s one featuring a lithographic printer.