By Staff
February 19th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Tuesday, March 04
7:00pm – 8:00pm
Author of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
Jared Bland, writer and former Arts editor of The Globe and Mail, in conversation with award-winning novelist and journalist Omar El Akkad about his new book One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, a powerful reckoning with what it means to live in a West that betrays its fundamental values.
El Akkad believed emigrating from the Middle East to the West promised freedom. Now twenty years later, after reporting news such as the War on Terror, climate change, and the Black Lives Matter protests, he concludes much of this promise is a lie. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This chronicles his painful realization and is El Akkad’s heartsick breakup letter with the West—giving voice to the same breakup happening all over the United States. This book is for all the people who want something better than what the West serves up.
About the Author
Egypt-born Omar El Akkad grew up in Qatar, moved to Canada as a teen, and now lives in the United States. He is a two-time winner of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers’ Award and the Oregon Book Award. His debut novel, American War, was named by the BBC as one of 100 novels that shaped our world.
Jared Bland is the former publisher of McClelland & Stewart and was a vice president of Penguin Random House Canada. He has also served as the Arts editor of The Globe and Mail, a senior editor at House of Anansi Press, and the managing editor of The Walrus.
Presented in partnership with McClelland & Stewart and A Different Drummer Books.
A Different Drummer Books will be on site with books for sale and signing after the talk.
Register HERE. Just 62 seats left
Tuesday, March 04
7:00pm – 8:00pm
Once again the “devil is in the details”.
I would question if the staff person who wrote this article read this book or watched the YouTube video of the author being interviewed about it,
When I received the email from the Burlington Central Library announcing this event I called and spoke to the event coordinator, who was both kind and willing to answer my questions.. I asked if he had read the book and his response was ” he had not as yet, because he had just received a copy of it that day”.
I asked how the library could schedule an event without reading the book and he told me” he had watched past interviews with the author”.
I went online and watched a current video of the author being interviewed about this book before contacting the library.
This book mainly talks about “Gazan Genocide, Gazan Slaughter” and how he feels the West is directly responsible for what has taken place in Gaza because countries supplied bombs, etc. through taxpayer dollars to help in its destruction.
No mention of the fact that Hamas started this war, or the atrocities like the slaughter, and rape, and the hostage taking that took place on October 7th. Most people tend to forget this.
Ukraine was invaded and is doing what it needs to protect itself from Russia who started this war. There has been mass destruction with people and soldiers unfortunately being casualties. Two different wars both viewed very differently by the world.
It is interesting that the West coming to the aid of Ukraine, offering billions of dollars in aid and armaments seems to be acceptable.
This author’s view of Western assistance is very different when it comes to the one that has taken place in Gaza.
Does the library know that the author is on a book tour to sell his book? The Different Drummer will be there to sell the book as well.
I question why the Burlington Central Library is hosting this event. In my opinion more vetting should have taken place by them.
The fall back always being used is we have “free speech”. However as I have said previously “free speech has its limitations”.
My concern is that no one will be in the room with this author to refute his claims.
Our world is on fire and the last thing we need is to have someone come into our community to fan the flames.
Editor’s note: The author is being interviewed by one of the best media people we have in this country. Hersh has let her prejudices get in the way of an event that she would rather not take place. The library is serving the citizens of the city very well. Kudos to them – shame on Hersh.