Hurt: Notes on Torture in a Modern Democracy edited by Kristian Williams

(Microcosm) These essays, interviews and reflections on torture are timely (or, sadly, timeless) and difficult. One reason torture, child abuse, and other taboo topics rarely get the media coverage they deserve is precisely because it’s hard to hear it. But thanks to some straightforward, smart, and occasionally beautiful words about deceptive, stupid, ugliness (particularly the words of the editor and Angelea Davis) it’s not torture to learn about torture.