For Arab Writers, New Lines in the Sand washingtonpost.com
In spite of censorship, writers in Saudi Arabia are tackling tougher issues than ever before in books published there and abroad. But government approval doesn't mean smooth sailing. "Two months ago, a group of men entered a bookstore on one of the capital's broad avenues, lined with designer boutiques and glass-and-steel shopping malls. They seized copies of The Bottle, which includes an unflattering portrayal of an Islamic militant, after it had sold 500 copies in just three days, a feverish pace in the kingdom. Although the government had approved the book for sale, the men warned the shop not to carry it again."