One of my essays is included in a new collection by crime writers called "
The Orwell Brigade." The idea is that authors -- in particular crime writers -- spend their time considering the very same questions as George Orwell did in his novels and essays about power. The Orwell Brigade is the brainchild of
Christopher G. Moore (check out his excellent Vincent Calvino mysteries, set in Thailand, where CGM lives). He enlisted me and a dozen other authors, including Barbara Nadel,
Quentin Bates,
John Burdett and
Colin Cotterill. As he puts it, the aim is "to reclaim the role of telling truth to authority, to examine abuse of power, and to question the false histories and narratives officials use to justify their decisions and policies. The traditional media have retreated to the safety of entertainment and gossip to turn a profit. We have paid a high price for that retreat." It's a terrific read. My essay is called
Doublethink for the Arab Spring.
