Star-Crossed Lovers

At first glance, the two books that make-up this episode of the Velshi Banned Book Club have very little similarities. Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” is a critical keystone to both the English language and the art of storytelling. Everyone knows Romeo and Juliet’s tragic love story. Dorit Rabinyan’s “All The Rivers” is a semi-autobiographic love story between an Israeli and a Palestinian student in New York City. Together, the two books critically examine the realities of family ties, cultural demands, and the power of love. This episode explores what a star-crossed lover truly is and the enduring power of love stories.