Read Street: Update on Pratt vandalism - A blog for a community of readers, in Baltimore and beyond.

The shattered glass has been repaired in the display window that had advertised the Sept. 16 appearance of Eleanor Herman, author of Mistress of the Vatican. But this morning, the display still stood empty, a sad gap among the tall, metal-framed windows that front Cathedral Street.

There's no sure proof that the vandal who shattered the window was protesting Herman or her book, about a woman who ran the Catholic church through her brother-in-law and reputed lover, Pope Innocent X. But Herman, who grew up in Roland Park, wrote to Read Street that a Pratt security camera showed a man "who appeared to come from across the street, where the Basilica of the Assumption is located, though they don't know if he came out of the church itself. He was white and well dressed, in his thirties, and stared at the display before leaving the range of the camera, where he picked up a rock from construction and threw it at the window. This doesn't seem to be a random act of vandalism. He seemed deeply perturbed by the poster. I would like to think that the Catholic Church, with its rich, colorful 2,000 years of history going straight back to Jesus, need not be threatened by a history book."

Unfortunately, books are often seen as a threat -- to youth, to politicians, to religions. We all recall the death threats heaped on Salman Rushdie after The Satanic Verses was published. And just this month, Random House acknowledged pulling Sherry Jones' debut novel, The Jewel of Medina, about Muhammad and his child bride, because of fears of violence.

Jones, like Herman, calls for reason and clear-thinking. "I'm optimistic, but not naive," Jones wrote in an eloquent appeal. "I expected my book to spark controversy. The Jewel of Medina is a novel of women's empowerment, never a popular theme among fundamentalists of any faith. I was also aware that some would take offense at any fictional portrayal of Muhammad, especially one by a non-Muslim American woman. Given the respect with which I treat the Muslim prophet, however, I never expected to be killed because of it. I still don't. ...

"So far, discussion has centered around my not-published book, which almost no one has read. Soon, I hope, we will address the text itself, in published form, and my ideas, derived from research and experience, of moderate Islam as a religion of egalitaranism and, yes, peace.

"In the meantime ... I challenge all to do as I am striving to do: Rise up against the culture of fear that pervades our society, refuse to succumb to racism, stand up for our rights, and live courageous lives."

Comments

"I would like to think that the Catholic Church, with its rich, colorful 2,000 years of history going straight back to Jesus, need not be threatened by a history book."

Well, yeah! I mean come on now! It's not like the security camera recorded a delegation of priests march out of the church and destroy the display. This was ONE guy ... is he supposed to be the voice of the Catholic Church?!

Posted by: Heather J. | August 29, 2008 12:12 PM

"Unfortunately, books are often seen as a threat -- to youth, to politicians, to religions. We all recall the death threats heaped on Salman Rushdie after The Satanic Verses was published. And just this month, Random House acknowledged pulling Sherry Jones' debut novel, The Jewel of Medina, about Muhammad and his child bride, because of fears of violence."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You're equating one person throwing a brick through a window with the fatwa of the Muslim imams against Rushdie? With Random House caving on the Jones novel?

You've lost perspective.

Perhaps you might ring up someone at the Basilica and see if they approve of this. They're undoubtedly as appalled as the rest of us. In fact, I can guarantee you they've had difficulties with vandalism as well. Such is life in the big city.

And I'll put to you the same question I posted in the previous thread, to which there has so far been no response: Is it acceptable to lie when promoting book? Because, in stating that the Catholic Church has "hidden" this story, the author or her promoter is lying. The Church hasn't hidden anything; it disputes that Pope Innocent X behaved immorally with Olimpia. Ms. Herman can cite all the disparaging remarks the Pope's contemporaries made (imagine that, in the divided political climate of Italy at the time), but it doesn't establish his immorality as a fact. It's still conjecture. And the Church has "hidden" nothing.

Posted by: jamie hunt | August 29, 2008 12:19 PM

Jamie, I wasn't equating the incidents. As I said at the top of the post, there's no sure proof that the vandalism was even aimed at Herman or her book. But I think it's fair to say that religion is a touchy subject these days (and maybe it always has been).

Posted by: Dave | August 29, 2008 12:25 PM

Just wanted to say that I saw Ms. Herman at the Pratt on Tuesday night. Her talk was very interesting IMO. I'm glad I got the chance to hear her.

Posted by: Heather J. | September 18, 2008 2:25 PM

Heather also posted a nice summary and some video of Herman's talk. Look for the Wednesday post on her blog: http://www.age30books.blogspot.com/

Posted by: Dave | September 18, 2008 4:49 PM