One Book, One Richmond's 'The Faithful Scribe' inspires programming on faith, nationalism, family and war

November 1, 2017

One Book, One Richmond is a campus-wide effort that encourages students, faculty, staff and members of the Richmond community to read and discuss a selected book on a social justice issue.

The 2017-18 One Book, One Richmond common reading selection, “The Faithful Scribe,” by UR journalism professor Shahan Mufti, is both the personal story of Mufti’s family and an account of Pakistan’s complex history.

Mufti will speak at the keynote event Feb. 15, 2018. The themes of faith, nationalism, family and war woven throughout “The Faithful Scribe” are also being addressed through additional special programming throughout the year, including:

Nov. 4
The Muslim Students Association will host an Eid Banquet. This banquet will serve as an opportunity for the Muslim community on campus to introduce itself and showcase its diverse cultures and share a meal with friends and neighbors.

Nov. 16
The Modlin Center for the Arts will present Bassem Youssef, “The Joke Is Mightier than the Sword,” which shares his personal story and thoughts on the political climate that led to the Arab Spring, its parallels to the current state of American politics and how propaganda lays the foundation for dictatorial regimes. Youssef is an Egyptian comedian, writer, producer, physician, media critic and television host. Dubbed the Jon Stewart of the Arab World, Youssef was the creator and host of the wildly popular TV show “Al-Bernameg,” the first political satire show in the Middle East. He was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2013.

Jan. 26
The Modlin Center for the Arts will present “Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic” described as a visually breathtaking cinematic shadow play for all ages, created by Hamid Rahmanian, a 2014 Guggenheim fellowship-winning filmmaker/visual artist. The play tells an action-packed magical tale of star-crossed lovers from the 10th-century Persian epic “Shahnameh” (The Book of Kings), who triumph at the end against all odds.

For more information, visit onebook.richmond.edu.

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