Escape to Hell by Muammar Gaddafi

Last week, many were shocked to see the violent demise of Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi. There were plenty of notable events in his obituary, but buried in the depths of his many undertakings is his brief career as a fiction writer. Escape to Hell and Other Stories is Gaddafi's sole speculative fiction collection, originally penned in his native language, and then translated into English. Curiously, the book reportedly includes a wide variety of surrealist, horrific, and science fiction elements.

Earlier this year, I mused on the possibility of a despot like Kim Jong Il writing a collection of weird horror stories. Imagine my surprise to find out about this Gaddafi collection. It also begs the question of what's so terribly compelling about artwork created by such powerful and controversial figures? Obviously, it must be some exotic quality. Weird fiction authors such as Reggie Oliver have used the idea to great effect in stories like "The Complete Symphonies of Adolf Hitler."

Perhaps it's a melding of real life horror with literature, and the rare ability to see such men (and women) exposed and unguarded in the way that only creative fiction can provide. Although Gaddafi's alternative career choices will probably always overshadow his literary merits, it may not be surprising if Escape to Hell garners wider attention in the coming years. The iron fisted are hastily condemned, while their motivations and mindsets remain enigmatic, however warped they may seem.

If it were possible to strip away the political context and examine figures like Gaddafi as artists, truly bizarre insights might emerge. Yet, divorcing such works from their lives is impossible, particularly at this stage. Nevertheless, the stories and other types of artwork they leave behind are sure to provoke thoughts and chills in equal measure for anyone who dares to pick up their work.

-Grim Blogger