Hodges: Palestinian/British author’s work not being highlighted locally

Aspen Words is betraying the community and their own mission by not holding a discussion of the book they chose for their 2024 “Community Read,” a book they awarded its $35,000 literary award to. In July, Aspen Words and the Pitkin County Library distributed free copies to members of the public of the book, Enter Ghost, by Isabella Hammad. Enter Ghost is about a company of actors producing Hamlet in the West Bank at risk of discovery and cancellation by the Israeli government.

The Community Read program promised two screenings of Hamlet and a subsequent “Book Celebration,” presumably where the community would get to discuss the book. Instead of a discussion, Aspen Words is now having a conversation with Aspen Public Radio’s Breeze Richardson and National Public Radio’s Mary Louise Kelly this Wednesday. I am told they won’t be discussing the book.

Aspen Words’ mission reads, “to encourage writers, inspire readers and connect people through the power of stories.” Executive Director Adrian Brodeur stated at the award ceremony, “The goal of this prize is to spotlight works of fiction that have enduring literary value and also illuminate the critical social issues they raise and … expand our perspectives and spark conversation and understanding…”

As Israel now does to Lebanon what it is doing to Gaza, bombing residential areas and hospitals, displacing a fifth of a poor country, with American weapons, turning pagers into bombs, killing dozens, including children and blinding and maiming hundreds, combatants or non, expanding a war the Biden Administration claimed it desperately wanted to avoid, it seems that Aspen Words doesn’t trust our community to capably discuss some critical social issues.

Will Hodges

Carbondale