Any Resemblance Is Purely Coincidental

New at Reason: Is Leon Uris the Six Day War's unacknowledged co-historian? Does victory belong to whoever tells the best story? Is it just that Americans like a happy ending? And where is the Arab Paul Newman? Chuck Freund ponders the big questions in a tribute to the late historical novelist.

Comments

[Anonymous]

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/06/opinion/06FRIE.html

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When Hindus kill Muslims it's not a story, because there are a billion Hindus and they aren't part of the Muslim narrative. When Saddam murders his own people it's not a story, because it's in the Arab-Muslim family. But when a small band of Israeli Jews kills Muslims it sparks rage ? a rage that must come from Muslims having to confront the gap between their self-perception as Muslims and the reality of the Muslim world.

[SM]

Anon -
Hindus Vs Muslims is definitely a part of the "muslim narrative". Read any pakistani paper - anti-hinduism is practically their founding principle. It is probably of no great significance to arab muslims.

[Anonymous]

Props mein Freund to not using "meme" once! The Arab Paul Newman 😀 (well Persian anyway 🙂 Also the new dark continental narrative of Africa!

[Eric Deamer]

Why is it a "narrative" or "myth"? Why is it not a valid interpretation of history. And doesn't the fact that no comparably influential counter- myth has emerged point to the fact that this interpretation is probably the right one?

[Anonymous]

"America is an Idea"