Here’s an interview with Kuwait’s top book censor:

“As a censor, I read a book from beginning to the end, word by word. In case the censor makes a mistake, the head of the department will be responsible for this mistake, as they should also read the book. The time to finish censoring a book depends on the kind of the book. For instance, a philosophical book needs about four days to read,” Dalal added…Working as a censor is interesting. “I like this work. It gives us experience, information and we always learn something new. It takes about a year or a year and a half to become a censor, as the person is first employed as a censor assistant. The employee first starts slow in reading and it takes him a week or days to finish a book. Also, beginners are not given political or religious books in the beginning as these are difficult. Instead we give them children’s books or some scientific books, which are easy,” said Dalal.

It’s funny how anything can sound banal if you do it for a living.

(Via Disinformation.)

4 replies on “Interview with a Book Censor”

  3. I don’t think it’s funny, I think it’s a predictable course of action for people in totalitarian regimes. The motivating thought process is accurately described in Hannah Arendt’s book, The Banality of Evil.

    I knew Paul Constant lacked the imagination to think outside of the system he lives in; now I know he lacks the motivation to read one of the most influential historical/social criticisms of the last thirty years.

    But keep posting about Sarah Palin and whatever else other political blogs are talking about. That surely is news.

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