On "Nur's Ark" by Rebecca Stonehill (2990 words) ***

Writing a compelling and sad story about war seems like it would be easy--except for this: one would have to live through one or very carefully imagine one. Neither is easy. Hence, one ends up with war stories that seem impersonal and generic, stories we would expect of a war. Stonehill's short piece manages to portray a family caught in the midst of a war and to do so in a personal way. She does it by focusing on a child's wish to visit the zoo and a family's with to protect the child from the world around. Read the story here at Monday Night.