Jordan’s most popular banned books

These are the most requested books at a store in Amman, Jordan, that specializes in banned books:

• Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses

• The late Iranian writer Ali Dashti’s 23 Years, "which questions miracles ascribed to Muhammad in the Koran," according to this interesting article in the poor old Los Angeles Times by Borzou Daragahi. Here’s a free download.

• Egyptian writer Khaled Qashtin’s The Joke in the Arab World, "a sarcastic view of the Middle East, its rulers and customs."

Interesting that religion and culture play the role there that books about sex once did here.