What We Are Reading Today: El Salvador Could Be Like That by Joseph B. Frazier
Updated 17 March 2025
Arab News
“El Salvador Could Be Like That” covers the bloody civil war in El Salvador from 1979-1986. The author draws from his vast trove of articles written from the frontlines, interspersing the reporting of facts with personal stories — some funny, some tragic.
Broad in its sweep, focused on the daily lives of the war’s victims, the book is an important contribution to remembering the lessons and recording the history of this mostly forgotten conflict.
The book “puts the reader on the ground as a witness to the unfolding of a civil war, and provides the political and historical background that surfaces the underlying factors that led to the conflict.”
It is both a memoir and a cautionary tale of the true costs of war as seen from the ground and in the lives of Salvadorans.
Mini op-ed: We need a ‘potluck’ culture of reading
Updated 10 March 2026
Purva Grover
DUBAI: The number of times we hear, “My kids don’t read,” “I don’t have the time,” or “Do people even read anymore?” is alarming.
With newspapers declared dead and YouTube summaries or ChatGPT reviews becoming the main course of words, I often wonder: have those asking these questions considered the role they play?
Each of us — school representatives, librarians, parents, educators, children, and even occasional readers — must ask whether we are helping create a culture where reaching for a book feels as natural as reaching for a smartphone.
Even the smallest effort counts. I think of a reading culture as a potluck where everyone brings something small, and together it becomes a wholesome meal. If you do not know where to begin, look around.
Purva Grover is an author, poet, playwright, stage director, TEDx speaker, and creative entrepreneur. (Supplied)
The UAE is rich in public libraries including in Sharjah and Dubai, such as the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, which is proof that access is not the issue.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is embedding reading into its national identity under Vision 2030 through digital libraries, major book fairs, and daily school reading.
Not a reader? Events such as the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature or the Sharjah International Book Fair offer easy entry points for conversation, community and curiosity.
They are built on cultural blocks that subtly encourage even non-readers into reading spaces. You could even start a reading club. I run one in Dubai called The Reading Village and have seen its quiet magic.
Culture is built by saying yes. And no to pirated PDFs on WhatsApp, as well as unchecked screen habits.
Tiny habits can help build an environment where reading becomes as much a part of our lives as scrolling on Netflix to decide what to binge-watch next.
Purva Grover is an author, poet, playwright, stage director, TEDx speaker, and creative entrepreneur. She is the founder of The Reading Village, a Dubai-based community.
