Author Archives: Joel D. Hirst

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About Joel D. Hirst

Joel D. Hirst is a novelist and a playwright. His most recently released work is "The Unraveling" -- a novel about how it all came apart. He has also written "An Excess of Nationalism", a novel about Soviet Armenia. "Dreams of the Defeated: A Play in Two Acts" is about a political prisoner in a dystopian regime. And "I, Charles, From the Camps" is the story of a young man from the African camps. "Lords of Misrule" is the an epic tale about the making and unmaking of a jihadist in the Sahara. Finally, Hirst has re-published his "San Porfirio" series into one volume "The Epic Tale of Revolutionary Venezuela", about the rise and fall of socialist Venezuela (with magic).

Tuareg Woman

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

The Tuareg are deep desert Berbers, who live in the Sahara. They have been there since pre-history, probably from days when the Sahara was green and lush. They believe that they are the original Egyptians who built the pyramids, pushed … Continue reading →

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Haunted

Posted on May 9, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

Be honest sometimes you feel like this. You can purchase it here, if you want: https://www.artpal.com/joeldhirst/?i=319328-41

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Sankore Place, Timbuktu

Posted on May 4, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

The center of Timbuktu is a flat sandy area called Sankore Place, under the Sankore Mosque which used to host the famous Sankore University 700 years ago. There, 20,000 people came from all over the Muslim world to study using … Continue reading →

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I’m Back — Sort Of…

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

OK, some thoughts on a Sunday morning in Spring: here goes. I’m returning this site to public viewing. Mostly as another place for people to find my novels, books, and paintings, or to give updates. I took all my previous … Continue reading →

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Paintings White I’ve Been Away

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

I am taking a break from writing. I’ve been focusing on painting; the world is drowning in words. I want to see if some colors can make anything any better. My last painting was one of Chicago, trying to capture … Continue reading →

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More Paintings While I Was Away

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

Still not writing much. But here’s some paintings:

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Maria Corina Machado Live

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

Last time I saw MCM was in Rosario, Argentina during a Freedom Foundation event with Nobel Prize winning novelist Mario Vargas Llosa. Who would have thought MCM would go on to win her own prize. It was very nice to … Continue reading →

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Spring 2026 Brings More Paintings

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Joel D. Hirst

Am I improving?

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My Last Night in Yerevan

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Joel D. Hirst

The quiet hum of Ashtarak highway reverberates in the background; the wind rustles the trees, new leaves – excited to show them off after a long cold winter. The city, away down into the valley buzzes with life: restaurants and … Continue reading →

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Armenia Saved My Life

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Joel D. Hirst

“That is why I love America,” he said to me this morning, eyes watering. “A land where immigrants are welcomed and can free themselves of the shackles of the past – of the old country which we love so much, … Continue reading →

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