the world news

Rekha Basu, a gifted writer, consistently raises consciousness about national and world matters to her readers. She writes for the Des Moines Register, however, so many are not aware of her intuitive powers. Sunday's column examines the way U.S. news outlets cover foreign matters and celebrity news, both here and abroad. Here's a taste:

"Our kind of coverage seems intended to enforce America's cultural and political isolation, designating us as a unique breed and foreigners an alien species, not people we might admire or learn from. That mind-set, I suspect, helps drive us to war instead of diplomacy when the going gets tough."

I probably would not have discovered her columns if I had not spent time in Iowa, where one can still read the local paper and feel informed. For the past eight years, I've been reading her columns, as well as her late husband, Rob Borsellino. I remember the giddiness I felt when I discovered my two favorite columnists were married. I'm a sucker for literary sexuality and the closeness of wordsmiths.

Each time I email her when a column especially moves me, I always receive a warm, sincere response. It's delightful when the brilliant and talented are also among the kind and welcoming.