Did anyone watch the progamme on Channel 4 the other night on Islam and its history? How up to about 60 years ago it was extremely tolerant of other religions women did not have to wear the hijab etc.. That is a very modern construct by the way. Also that suicide in Islam is viewed very much as in Catholicism, it's a crime. Then along came the Brits and the Yanks and threw money at them for their oil. Oh dear I can almost hear RD rattling his colonial pram as I write.
City versus country is a well-worn theme but I think Bellerophon handles it beautifully and originally and with lots of lovely descriptive touches and well-observed detail from the duckling's feathers down to the curry in Bristol.
