November 2000

In This Issue
Barbara Wallraff, “What Global Language?”; Robert D. Kaplan, “Where Europe Vanishes”; Jeff Tietz, “In the Event of Flight”; Christopher Caldwell, “The Crescent and the Tricolor”; and much more.
Articles
The Crescent and the Tricolor
France today has more Muslims than practicing Catholics, and couscous has arguably become the country's national food
Children's Products and Risk
The Consumer Products Safety Commission was created to ensure the safety of products for infants, among others. But it can't
Where Europe Vanishes
Civilizations have collided in the Caucasus Mountains since the dawn of history, and the region's dozens of ethnic groups have been noted for "obstinacy and ferocity" since ancient times. Stalin was born in these mountains, and it was also here that the Soviet empire began to crumble. The story of the Republic of Georgia illustrates that the peoples of the Caucasus may prove as incapable of self-rule as they were resistant to rule by outsiders
The Fall Into Guns
Few Americans, this cliche-upending book shows, owned guns before the Civil War. What happened?
Rainbow
What Global Language?
English isn't managing to sweep all else before it -- and if it ever does become the universal language, many of those who speak it won't understand one another.
Interview With David Graddol
An e-mail exchange with David Graddol of The English Company U.K.
Interview With Anne Soukhanov
An e-mail exchange with Anne Soukhanov, the U.S. general editor of the Encarta World English Dictionary.
In the Event of Flight
Days and nights with a bounty hunter
Word Court
Cello
Brother Antoine wanted to present a version of himself that he thought the Tibetans would admire, and in the meantime his scorn for all things Western grew.
Hybrid Vigor
A funny thing happened on the way to the demise of the plug-in car.
The Harlem of France
In the industrial city of Roubaix, a youth jobs program takes hold.
Bacchus
From Iron Age to Our Age
The Mediterranean island of Elba has been gratifying visitors since prehistory.
Our Lady of Sorrows
Willfully unaware of the facts of her professional life, listeners persist in thinking that Billie Holiday felt their pain.
New Life for Old Cars
Part mechanic, part artist, part detective, Paul Russell restores antique automobiles to their original condition -- once he has determined what that was.
Mongrel Capitalism
Short Reviews
The End of the Affair
77 North Washington Street
Letters
The Almanac
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