Review: ‘The Death of the Moth’ by Virginia Woolf

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Updated 30 January 2025
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Review: ‘The Death of the Moth’ by Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf’s essay “The Death of the Moth,” first published posthumously in 1942, is a profound meditation on the fragility of life and the inevitability of death, offering readers a masterful blend of observation, reflection and existential insight.

This poignant essay captures a seemingly mundane moment as Woolf observes the futile struggles of a small moth trapped by the weight of mortality. 

Through her precise and lyrical prose, Woolf transforms the moth’s plight into a universal metaphor for human existence, making this brief piece one of her most impactful works of non-fiction. 

The narrative begins with Woolf describing the moth’s dance of life, a vibrant yet delicate display of energy and purpose. 

She marvels at its vitality, contrasting its fleeting joy with the vast, indifferent forces of the natural world.  

As the moth succumbs to death, Woolf’s tone shifts to one of solemnity and reverence, engaging readers in a contemplative exploration of life’s transience and the quiet dignity of death. 

What makes “The Death of the Moth” so captivating is Woolf’s ability to weave profound philosophical themes into an ordinary moment.  

Through her characteristic attention to detail and introspective voice, she elevates the moth’s struggle into a broader reflection on the human condition, our resilience, and our ultimate surrender to mortality. 

The essay’s brilliance lies in its subtlety and depth. 

While it is, on the surface, a simple observation of a moth’s final moments, Woolf’s exploration of the tension between life’s fleeting vibrancy and death’s inescapable presence resonates universally.  

Her prose, simultaneously delicate and powerful, draws readers into a shared experience of vulnerability and awe.

“The Death of the Moth” remains a timeless piece that continues to draw readers in with its blend of simplicity and profundity. 

Woolf’s ability to find meaning in the ordinary and her poetic approach to life’s greatest certainty — the inevitability of death — cements her legacy as one of literature’s most insightful and evocative voices.  

This essay is a must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of life’s fragility and the beauty that can be found even in its most somber moments.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Talking Cure’ by Paula Marantz Cohen

Updated 27 February 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Talking Cure’ by Paula Marantz Cohen

“Talking Cure” is a timely and enticing excursion into the art of good conversation. Paula Marantz Cohen reveals how conversation connects us in ways that social media never can and explains why simply talking to each other freely and without guile may be the first step to curing what ails our troubled society.

Drawing on her lifelong immersion in literature and culture and her decades of experience as a teacher and critic, Cohen argues that we learn to converse in our families and then carry that knowledge into a broader world where we encounter diverse opinions and sensibilities.


Book Review: ‘Perfect Victims’ by Mohammed El-Kurd

Updated 27 February 2025
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Book Review: ‘Perfect Victims’ by Mohammed El-Kurd

Mohammed El-Kurd’s “Perfect Victims: and the Politics of Appeal,” published in January 2025, is a scorching manifesto against the sanitized narratives of victimhood that dominate Western discourse on Palestine. 

With poetic precision and unyielding clarity, El-Kurd dismantles the “politics of appeal” — the insidious expectation that Palestinians, and other oppressed communities, must contort their suffering into palatable shapes to earn global sympathy. This is not a book that asks for understanding, it demands a reckoning.

Drawing from his lived experience in the occupied Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, El-Kurd exposes the suffocating standards imposed on Palestinian bodies and stories. He unravels how the world’s empathy hinges on the display of “perfect” victimhood: passive, non-threatening, and quiet in its anguish. 

He writes against this expectation, refusing to strip the Palestinian struggle of its dignity and defiance. Instead, El-Kurd reclaims his community’s narrative as one of survival and resilience, asserting, “We are not just the sum of our wounds.”

“Perfect Victims” is more than a critique, it is an unmasking. El-Kurd meticulously dissects how language, media, and international institutions become tools of erasure. He shines a harsh light on the global complicity that demands victims remain meek to be seen as worthy of justice. 

Through case studies, historical context, and deeply personal reflections, he exposes how even well-meaning solidarity can morph into another form of control, reducing the oppressed to mere symbols stripped of agency.

El-Kurd’s prose is vivid and relentless. His words do not simply inform — they pierce. He does not appeal to the reader’s charity but instead confronts them with the uncomfortable truth: that selective empathy is itself a form of violence. His analysis extends beyond Palestine, offering a blueprint for understanding how narratives of victimhood are weaponized against marginalized communities worldwide.

Yet, what makes “Perfect Victims” truly extraordinary is El-Kurd’s unwavering refusal to accept the confines of victimhood. His narrative is a rebellion against the expectation of silence. He writes: “We are not here to perform our pain for your absolution. We are here to live, to love, to resist.” These words resonate as a battle cry — simultaneously a rejection of imposed passivity and an affirmation of life beyond occupation.

This is a book that refuses to be quiet. It is a work of profound defiance, carving out space for Palestinian voices to be heard, not as whispers, but as thunder. “Perfect Victims: and the Politics of Appeal” is a literary and political act of reclamation — a blazing testament to the enduring dignity of a people who refuse to let their story be written by anyone but themselves.


Jeddah spans tradition and modernity in new book exploring themes of cultural preservation

Updated 27 February 2025
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Jeddah spans tradition and modernity in new book exploring themes of cultural preservation

  • Novel examines balance between cultural preservation and urban transformation
  • ‘The cats of Jeddah serve as a metaphor for the city’s enduring spirit’

RIYADH: While the falcon and camel are the creatures most associated with Arabia’s skies and deserts, cats have long captivated the hearts of the people, historically and religiously.

In his new novel, “City of Cats,” Rafael Hernandez de Santiago sets his narrative in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, exploring where the past and future collide during urban transformation.

“City of Cats” follows Amir, an architect torn between the love he has for his city’s heritage and the push toward modernization. He and his allies face resistance from powerful, money-hungry developers as they propose a cultural park to protect one of Jeddah’s historic districts.

Hernandez draws the comparison that cats represent the soul of a city. Speaking to Arab News at his book launch hosted at the Spanish Embassy on Tuesday, he said: “The cats of Jeddah serve as a metaphor for the city’s enduring spirit, quietly witnessing and adapting to its ever-changing landscape.”

The novel delves into themes of preservation versus progress, communal unity, and resilience of tradition in the face of relentless modernization.

Hernandez is a director and senior researcher at the Gulf Research Center and a prominent newspaper columnist who regularly writes on matters relating to politics, international relations, and data and AI.

Of his reasons for delving into the world of fiction writing, Hernandez said, contrary to the straight edge of fact and policy analysis that his columns require, fiction allows for a more interactive curiosity on complex issues and more emotional engagement.

“Instead of debating urban development and cultural preservation through articles, I wanted readers to feel the impact of these changes through the eyes of characters living through them.”

The Spanish citizen, who has lived in Saudi Arabia for almost 25 years, said that from the ancient Nabatean city of AlUla to the rise of modern metropolises such as Riyadh, the Kingdom balances rich traditions and heritage stories with an ambitious vision for the future, making it a compelling setting for a novel.

“My time here has given me a deep appreciation for its history, traditions, and the unique identity of its cities.

“The experience of witnessing Jeddah’s evolution firsthand played a significant role in shaping the story of ‘City of Cats,’” he said.

Hernandez said that Jeddah is a city where history and modernity coexist side by side. Al-Balad, its historic district, carries stories of merchants, travelers, and families through the generations, who give it a distinct identity. Yet it is constantly evolving, with new skyscrapers and developments.

“While Spain has its own rich history and cities undergoing similar transformations, Jeddah’s story feels particularly urgent. It’s a city at a crossroads, and I wanted to capture that moment.”

Hernandez spoke about how Jeddah acting as Makkah’s gateway gives it a unique character. And that characteristic furnishings, from coral stone houses to intricate mashrabiya windows, reflect the story of the Red Sea and its maritime trade routes.

Contrary to Jeddah’s openness and free-flowing nature, Riyadh’s soul mirrors that of a wise and progressive leader who still stands strong in his structure and heritage, according to Hernandez.

“Like the stray cats that roam both cities, their souls are defined by their ability to survive, adapt, and persist despite the changes around them,” he said.

“City of Cats” is available in English, with Arabic and Spanish translations expected to follow.

Hernandez hopes to turn the novel into a musical one day, as the arts and entertainment scene in the Kingdom rapidly grows.

“The story lends itself beautifully to the format … Musicals are a celebration of storytelling, culture, and emotion — and Saudi Arabia is overflowing with stories and traditions waiting to be expressed in new, creative ways.”

He said that if Saudi Arabia were to start producing musicals, it would open the door for local talent; composers, lyricists, set designers, and actors who are eager to share their creativity with the world.


What We Are Reading Today: Lost Realms by Thomas Williams

Updated 26 February 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: Lost Realms by Thomas Williams

In “Lost Realms,” Thomas Williams focuses on nine kingdoms representing every corner of the island of Britain.

From the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish coastline, from the Welsh borders to the Thames Estuary, Williams uncovers the forgotten life and untimely demise of realms that hover in the twilight between history and fable.

This is a book about those lands and peoples who fell by the wayside: the lost realms of early medieval Britain.


What We Are Reading Today: Endangered Eating by Sarah Lohman

Updated 25 February 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: Endangered Eating by Sarah Lohman

In “Endangered Eating,” Sarah Lohman draws inspiration from the Ark of Taste, a list compiled by Slow Food International that catalogues important regional foods whose distinct ingredients are at risk of being lost.

Animated by stories yet grounded in historical research, “Endangered Eating” gives readers the tools to support community food organizations and producers that work to preserve local culinary traditions and rare, cherished foods — before it’s too late.