Melville House Books

For a Westerner, a review in Lebanon’s Daily Star newspaper by Jessy Chahine of a new book by a popular author of political books gives a glimpse into some of Lebanese culture’s key social issues. The book, General Theory on The Lebanese Constitutional Regime by Antoine Messarra, is “a scathing condemnation” of the Lebanese legal system and its legislative process. “The law has lost its characteristics as a legal reference that concerns equality, justice and peaceful settlements of conflicts,” writes Messarra. “It has become a means of repression, exploitation, nepotism and political vengeance.”

Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.