Of Hospitality or Olives

Of Hospitality

Author: Jacques Derrida

These two lectures by Jacques Derrida, “Foreigner Question” and “Step of Hospitality/No Hospitality,” derive from a series of seminars on “hospitality” conducted by Derrida in Paris, January 1996. His seminars, in France and in America, have become something of an institution over the years, the place where he presents the ongoing evolution of his thought in a remarkable combination of thoroughly mapped-out positions, sketches of new material, and exchanges with students and interlocutors.

As has become a pattern in Derrida's recent work, the form of this presentation is a self-conscious enactment of its content. The book consists of two texts on facing pages. “Invitation” by Anne Dufourmantelle appears on the left (an invitation that of course originates in a response), clarifying and inflecting Derrida's “response” on the right. The interaction between them not only enacts the “hospitality” under discussion, but preserves something of the rhythms of teaching.

The volume also characteristically combines careful readings of canonical texts and philosophical topics with attention to the most salient events in the contemporary world, using “hospitality” as a means of rethinking a range of political and ethical situations. “Hospitality” is viewed as a question of what arrives at the borders, in the initial surprise of contact with an other, a stranger, a foreigner. For example, Antigone is revisited in light of the question of impossible mourning; Oedipus at Colonus is read via concerns that also apply to teletechnology; the trial of Socrates is brought into conjunctionwith the televised funeral of François Mitterrand.

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Olives: More than 70 Delicious and Healthy Recipes

Author: Avner Laskin

Spaghetti with Tapenade. Estouffad Provençal. Spicy Shakshuka. Foccaccia. What do all these palate pleasing recipes have in common? Olives! And every dish presented on these beautifully photographed pages proves that this versatile fruit is more than just an afterthought. From infused oils to salsas, sauces, and salads to an irresistible international selection of main meals, this collection serves up something special for every olive lover. Enjoy olives flavored with basil; marinated with pickled lemons; incorporated in mayonnaise or pesto; baked in rye, onion, or cheese bread; stir-fried with rice; as a crust for sea bass; or cooked in a cuttlefish casserole. And everyone will appreciate the nutritional information…including an explanation of why this staple of the Mediterranean diet is so healthy.

Judith Sutton <P>Copyright &copy; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. - School Library Journal

Laskin, a chef and author of several other cookbooks, presents in these attractive, small books recipes from a range of Mediterranean cuisines and beyond, many illustrated with full-page color photographs. Among the offerings in Olivesare Tuna in Green Olive Sauce and Tomatoes Stuffed with Spiced Olives. It's somewhat surprising that few of the recipes specify a particular type of olive (other than "black" or "green"), and a glossary of different olives would have been helpful. The recipe choices in Nutsinclude Noodles in Coconut Curry Sauce and Chocolate Macadamia Brownies, and here Laskin does provide a brief glossary of nuts. For larger collections.