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Nabeel's Song: A Family Story of Survival in Iraq
In the winter of 1979 Nabeel Yasin, Iraq's most famous young poet, gathered together a handful of belongings and fled Iraq with his wife and son. Life in Baghdad had become intolerable. Silenced by a series of brutal beatings at the hands of the Ba'ath Party's Secret Police and declared an “enemy of the state,” he faced certain death if he stayed.
Nabeel had grown up in the late 1950s and early '60s in a large and loving family, amid the domestic drama typical of Iraq's new middle class, with his mother Sabria working as a seamstress to send all of her seven children to college. As his story unfolds, Nabeel meets his future wife and finds his poetic voice while he is a student. But Saddam's rise to power ushers in a new era of repression, imprisonment and betrayal from which few families will escape intact. In this new climate of intimidation and random violence Iraqis live in fear and silence; yet Nabeel’s mother tells him “It is your duty to write.” His poetry, a blend of myth and history, attacks the regime determined to silence him. As Nabeel’s fame and influence as a poet grows, he is forced into hiding when the Party begins to dismantle the city’s infrastructure and impose power cuts and food rationing. Two of his brothers are already in prison and a third is used as a human minesweeper on the frontline of the Iran-Iraq war. After six months in hiding, Nabeel escapes with his wife and young son to Beirut, Paris, Prague, Budapest, and finally England.
Written by Jo Tatchell, a journalist who has spent many years in the Middle East and who is a close friend of Nabeel Yasin’s, Nabeel's Song is the gripping story of a family and its fateful encounter with history. From a warm, lighthearted look at the Yasin family before the Saddam dictatorship, to the tale of Nabeel’s persecution and daring flight, and the suspense-filled account of his family’s rebellion against Saddam's regime, Nabeel's Song is an intimate, illuminating, deeply human chronicle of a country and a culture devastated by political repression and war.
Nabeel had grown up in the late 1950s and early '60s in a large and loving family, amid the domestic drama typical of Iraq's new middle class, with his mother Sabria working as a seamstress to send all of her seven children to college. As his story unfolds, Nabeel meets his future wife and finds his poetic voice while he is a student. But Saddam's rise to power ushers in a new era of repression, imprisonment and betrayal from which few families will escape intact. In this new climate of intimidation and random violence Iraqis live in fear and silence; yet Nabeel’s mother tells him “It is your duty to write.” His poetry, a blend of myth and history, attacks the regime determined to silence him. As Nabeel’s fame and influence as a poet grows, he is forced into hiding when the Party begins to dismantle the city’s infrastructure and impose power cuts and food rationing. Two of his brothers are already in prison and a third is used as a human minesweeper on the frontline of the Iran-Iraq war. After six months in hiding, Nabeel escapes with his wife and young son to Beirut, Paris, Prague, Budapest, and finally England.
Written by Jo Tatchell, a journalist who has spent many years in the Middle East and who is a close friend of Nabeel Yasin’s, Nabeel's Song is the gripping story of a family and its fateful encounter with history. From a warm, lighthearted look at the Yasin family before the Saddam dictatorship, to the tale of Nabeel’s persecution and daring flight, and the suspense-filled account of his family’s rebellion against Saddam's regime, Nabeel's Song is an intimate, illuminating, deeply human chronicle of a country and a culture devastated by political repression and war.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
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507 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
September 18, 2008
I just started reading this one during a camping trip and anxiously await brief moments when time affords that I can sneak a quick read. So far, I have found it to be masterfully written. As Americans, we know so little history of the Middle East and even less about the character of the people and this book illuminates both in an accessible and extremely humanizing way.
UPDATE! - I'm about half-way through and the story line is getting darker (imprisonments, torture, culture of fear), but the writing is still personable and elegant and the story continues draw me in. This one is on track for 5 stars and one of my best reads of recent history - even though parts of it are extremely sad.
FINAL UPDATE! - I'm done and I really appreciated this book. I thought it was well-crafted, wove an engaging and multi-faceted story, and captured the human impact of fear, censorship, torture, and war - and how people somehow manage to live their lives around these unpredictable events (for better or for worse, but to the best of their abilitiies). I'm always interested in human resilience, but in this book appreciated how resiliance can be one of human-kind's great strengths, but it is often tempered with the poignance of loss.
UPDATE! - I'm about half-way through and the story line is getting darker (imprisonments, torture, culture of fear), but the writing is still personable and elegant and the story continues draw me in. This one is on track for 5 stars and one of my best reads of recent history - even though parts of it are extremely sad.
FINAL UPDATE! - I'm done and I really appreciated this book. I thought it was well-crafted, wove an engaging and multi-faceted story, and captured the human impact of fear, censorship, torture, and war - and how people somehow manage to live their lives around these unpredictable events (for better or for worse, but to the best of their abilitiies). I'm always interested in human resilience, but in this book appreciated how resiliance can be one of human-kind's great strengths, but it is often tempered with the poignance of loss.
August 31, 2018
An interesting true story about what life was like in Iraq under the rule of Sadam Hussein. It made me realize how lucky we are to live in a country where you are not persecuted for your beliefs. I thought there was a little too much dialogue that didn't seem to add to the story but otherwise an interesting book.
April 18, 2021
I remember when I read this how touched I was by Nabeel Yasin’s life story. Jo Tatchell wrote this veridic book in a stunning way.
It’s a moving narrative about the Yasin family before Saddam's dictatorship and the transformation of a country ransacked by war, living in fear and uncertainty during his ascend to power. You get an idea of the many lives destroyed by a totalitarian regime, the persecution endured. It’s also a story about family, resistance, and love.
Nabeel uses his poetry as an instrument of dissent and defiance and is later considered an enemy of the state. Living in hiding until he can escape his homeland. I liked the chapter of his return to Baghdad for the first time after living in exile. It’s hard to grasp the horrors humans have faced in the hands of their governments (and other intrusive ones).
I don’t remember as many details because I read this long ago, but I‘d definitely re-read it and see how I respond to it again. I do remember, with clarity, how I finished the book and had a lingering gloomy feeling, but overall I felt hope for humanity. Hope that kind people outnumber the awful, that the good can outweigh the horrors. And that’s something I keep from the book.
It’s a moving narrative about the Yasin family before Saddam's dictatorship and the transformation of a country ransacked by war, living in fear and uncertainty during his ascend to power. You get an idea of the many lives destroyed by a totalitarian regime, the persecution endured. It’s also a story about family, resistance, and love.
Nabeel uses his poetry as an instrument of dissent and defiance and is later considered an enemy of the state. Living in hiding until he can escape his homeland. I liked the chapter of his return to Baghdad for the first time after living in exile. It’s hard to grasp the horrors humans have faced in the hands of their governments (and other intrusive ones).
I don’t remember as many details because I read this long ago, but I‘d definitely re-read it and see how I respond to it again. I do remember, with clarity, how I finished the book and had a lingering gloomy feeling, but overall I felt hope for humanity. Hope that kind people outnumber the awful, that the good can outweigh the horrors. And that’s something I keep from the book.
December 14, 2016
i read this book in 2 days,
i don't know what to say about it.
it is based in Baghdad,Iraq in the winters of 1979.
it is about a very famous poem known as Nabeel Yasin who writes poertry about against the ba'ath party which is the Iraqi secret police.
he is one of Iraq's most famous poet!.
he is married to Nada and has a child.
he then gets into a lot of trouble for writing such poetry against the Saddam Hussain government and he has to flew the country which is Iraq and has to live in various countries and he has a brother called Tariq.
several years later he returns to Iraq.
this book is all about Iraqi politics!.
i don't know what to say about it.
it is based in Baghdad,Iraq in the winters of 1979.
it is about a very famous poem known as Nabeel Yasin who writes poertry about against the ba'ath party which is the Iraqi secret police.
he is one of Iraq's most famous poet!.
he is married to Nada and has a child.
he then gets into a lot of trouble for writing such poetry against the Saddam Hussain government and he has to flew the country which is Iraq and has to live in various countries and he has a brother called Tariq.
several years later he returns to Iraq.
this book is all about Iraqi politics!.
April 16, 2009
This is a beautifully written account of a prominent Iraqi poet, Nabeel Yasin, and his family through the modern era of Iraq from the emergence of the Ba'athist party and then Saddam Hussein - and Nabeels persecution and then exile at the hands of the Ba'ath party - all the way through the liberation of Iraq by coalition forces in 2003 and the mess that followed.
Rarely have I read a non-fiction book that reads so lyrically and tells a story so compellingly. This story broke my heart as it described the Iraq of Nadeel's childhood and then the end of this great country as Sadaam's rule wore on and all opposition of any kind was stifled. The sadness of dashed hopes as the insurgency raged after Sadaam's reign finally ended was striking. But, mostly the horror of living in a paranoid society where neighbor has been turned against neighbor gripped me and made me realize how clueless I am about the freedoms I take for granted that so many others have only dreamed of!
Jo Tatchell does a beautiful job of describing family life in Iraq, the cultural traditions, the religious rituals and devotion so central to many lives there. I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by the picture of Iraqi life that is painted in this book and how it juxtaposes sharply with the images most of we westerners have soaked up about the place and its people from Television. Even the dusty, wary, and deadly city of Baghdad I visited in the summer of 2006 seems radically different from the one described as being central to Nabeel Yasin's youth in the 1950's, 60's and 70's.
Read this book for the deeply human story it tells of love, courage, family, faith, and culture. If the people described in this story are at all indicative of the people in Iraq then hope indeed burns brightly for that once proud place.
Rarely have I read a non-fiction book that reads so lyrically and tells a story so compellingly. This story broke my heart as it described the Iraq of Nadeel's childhood and then the end of this great country as Sadaam's rule wore on and all opposition of any kind was stifled. The sadness of dashed hopes as the insurgency raged after Sadaam's reign finally ended was striking. But, mostly the horror of living in a paranoid society where neighbor has been turned against neighbor gripped me and made me realize how clueless I am about the freedoms I take for granted that so many others have only dreamed of!
Jo Tatchell does a beautiful job of describing family life in Iraq, the cultural traditions, the religious rituals and devotion so central to many lives there. I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by the picture of Iraqi life that is painted in this book and how it juxtaposes sharply with the images most of we westerners have soaked up about the place and its people from Television. Even the dusty, wary, and deadly city of Baghdad I visited in the summer of 2006 seems radically different from the one described as being central to Nabeel Yasin's youth in the 1950's, 60's and 70's.
Read this book for the deeply human story it tells of love, courage, family, faith, and culture. If the people described in this story are at all indicative of the people in Iraq then hope indeed burns brightly for that once proud place.
May 31, 2015
The biography has been wonderfully written. The details of the life of Yasins in and out of Iraq make you feel that you are there. I also liked the book because it is contemporary in a sense. We have seen the news. However the book doesn't dwell on anything that had been the subject of news or media. It goes deep and focuses on the daily life.
The read is easy and pace is good.The time jumps are adequate and Jo has done every transition smoothly.
It is a beautiful story. I wouldnt say that it is a text that will inspire you. The characters are all normal .. nothing extraordinary about them. Not even Nabeel. I guess that is what makes it relatable. Ordinary people in strange circumstances. I liked reading it and I'm sure you will too.
The read is easy and pace is good.The time jumps are adequate and Jo has done every transition smoothly.
It is a beautiful story. I wouldnt say that it is a text that will inspire you. The characters are all normal .. nothing extraordinary about them. Not even Nabeel. I guess that is what makes it relatable. Ordinary people in strange circumstances. I liked reading it and I'm sure you will too.
June 7, 2011
The story of Nabeel and his family's unwillingness to blindly follow Saddam is inspiring - not only as a political story, but as a human/family story...families stick together and support one another - that is what is important.
I felt his story was well told...even if I had some issue with the vast amount of dialogue and moments of "how would they know if they weren't there?" Regardless, it was a good book.
I felt his story was well told...even if I had some issue with the vast amount of dialogue and moments of "how would they know if they weren't there?" Regardless, it was a good book.
September 25, 2021
With the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, the parallel reading of this work has mustered up images of a horrific mirror, the Ba'ath party schemes sharing so many commonalities with those of the Taliban. This incredible biography recounts a country's history that is essentially repeating itself, just two countries over on the world map.
.........................................................................
Title: Nabeel's Song by Jo Tatchell and Nabeel Yassin
Country: Iraq 🇮🇶
........................................................................
Tatchell brings Baghdad, a city crawling with secret police and Mukhabarat, to life. The Yasin family, one full of independent thinkers, is faced with innumerable challenges throughout the family's history... 'Who can be trusted? How can one truly perform their professional duties while under the control of an oppressive dictator? How is it possible to set yourself apart from your family while maintaining your loyalty? Why should one fight in another man's war?'
This biography is incredibly heartbreaking and enlightening, a must-read for those interested in the complex history of Iraq and even the Middle East in general. The organization of this book, skipping years at a time, does make one hope for a sequel, particularly one that recounts Amel's history of becoming a doctor and practicing in Saddam-controlled Iraq.
Favorite Quote: Perhaps we will find that our home exists only in our head.
#nabeelssong #iraq
.........................................................................
Title: Nabeel's Song by Jo Tatchell and Nabeel Yassin
Country: Iraq 🇮🇶
........................................................................
Tatchell brings Baghdad, a city crawling with secret police and Mukhabarat, to life. The Yasin family, one full of independent thinkers, is faced with innumerable challenges throughout the family's history... 'Who can be trusted? How can one truly perform their professional duties while under the control of an oppressive dictator? How is it possible to set yourself apart from your family while maintaining your loyalty? Why should one fight in another man's war?'
This biography is incredibly heartbreaking and enlightening, a must-read for those interested in the complex history of Iraq and even the Middle East in general. The organization of this book, skipping years at a time, does make one hope for a sequel, particularly one that recounts Amel's history of becoming a doctor and practicing in Saddam-controlled Iraq.
Favorite Quote: Perhaps we will find that our home exists only in our head.
#nabeelssong #iraq
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November 23, 2021I finished this story and felt a deep grief for all the citizens of Iraq. The events that killed some many innocent and defenseless men, women and children and destroyed a nation can only seen as a result of evil. Attempts to explain the choices of those directly responsible for the chaos that descended on Iraq as mistakes or logical choices continues to mislead a younger generation that there is no evil in this world. We also need to mourn those that, whether out of fear or lack of moral courage, chose to willingly participate in the attacks against their fellow citizens. We all need to read this book to our children and discuss this with our peers in order to, once again, promote and teach moral courage against the evils that are threatening to, once again, lead us into enough Dark Age. We must bravely face the causes and consequences of the brutal dictatorships in both the Western nations as well as those in the middle-east, Africa and the Orient and remind future leaders of their responsibility to become servant-leaders and create a business and government culture "of the people, for the people and by the people" so that the terrors of the past 80 years will never occur agai..
March 14, 2023
When I first got this book to read, I thought it would be poems which would be cool but as I got to reading it, I understood that the person this book is about is a poet. I really loved how it tells how life was like before and after Saddam Hussein took over Iraq. One hears the news about what happened but to actually read about how the people that lived there felt and went through makes it better to understand what happened. Many years ago I knew of someone who was from Iraq and was a physician at a hospital I had worked at and his family did not like Hussein either and was glad when he was no longer ruling Iraq.
Reading about things like this helps people to better understand and appreciate the freedoms we have and understand what others go through in country like this.
Reading about things like this helps people to better understand and appreciate the freedoms we have and understand what others go through in country like this.
February 17, 2022
Will be honest, wasn’t really a page turner. Took me a pretty long time to read, but was very worth it for the message that it delivered. Delved into the power of literature and the lengths an oppressive regime (the Taliban) went to in order to make sure it stayed hidden. Also revealed how far passionate revolutionaries went to make sure their ideas and their fight never died. The passion for literature and determination in the face of adversity are incredible. Fast forward a few years, it’s truly evident just how large of a mark this fight for literature and against oppression made.
November 11, 2018
So beautifully written! Filled w/ 1st hand knowledge of life in Iraq. Some of the same stories the world has heard on the news, but w/ so much additional, poignant information. Such raw pain, yet joy, too. Insightful & riveting. A page turner I could hardly put down.
October 24, 2020
incredible story of survival
December 23, 2020
Such a great read when wanting to understand a little more about the Iraqi people.
September 3, 2025
A Family Story of Survival in Iraq, biography of the remarkable @NabeelYasin, whom I met on my recent travels.
February 13, 2009
This book jumped into my hands at Costco and demanded to be purchased. It was the only copy, but I seldom buy books for myself, so I resisted and looked for the book at the library. Surprisingly it wasn't in the library system. About two weeks later the book again flew into my hands. Again, it was the only copy. This time I bought it and discovered the book had been previously published with the title NABEEL'S SONG. I guess the title was changed when it was published in the U.S. to appeal to a greater audience. I think this book found me because the great cosmos recognized my ignorance of Iraqi history and culture and felt I was at the right time in my life to address that blissful void... and now I am changed, a little more educated and deeply tortured by this book.
This is a biography of Nabeel Yasin, renowned Iraqi poet, from a middle class family in Iraq, who was born in 1950. The children are raised to be educated and to stand by their ideals despite the rising powers of Ba'ath and Communism. When Nabeel refuses to write propeganda supporting Saddam Hussein, he becomes an enemy of the state and is unable to work or leave the country! This remarkably strong family faces many trials,tortures, and imprisonment. The book chronicles the reign of Saddam Hussien and his ruthless, senseless, tyranny, from his beginnings to the overthrow of his regime. If you want to learn more about him or how and why the U.S. got involved in the war, this is straight-forward and easy to follow. I loved this book because I love anything that teaches me something, but I hated this book because it hurts so deeply to know that mankind has the power to be so selfish, cruel and destructive. All in all this is a story of defiance, love, and survival. I highly recommend it to anyone who gained insight from THE KITE RUNNER or THREE CUPS OF TEA. You can get it from the public library under the title NABEEL's SONG.
This is a biography of Nabeel Yasin, renowned Iraqi poet, from a middle class family in Iraq, who was born in 1950. The children are raised to be educated and to stand by their ideals despite the rising powers of Ba'ath and Communism. When Nabeel refuses to write propeganda supporting Saddam Hussein, he becomes an enemy of the state and is unable to work or leave the country! This remarkably strong family faces many trials,tortures, and imprisonment. The book chronicles the reign of Saddam Hussien and his ruthless, senseless, tyranny, from his beginnings to the overthrow of his regime. If you want to learn more about him or how and why the U.S. got involved in the war, this is straight-forward and easy to follow. I loved this book because I love anything that teaches me something, but I hated this book because it hurts so deeply to know that mankind has the power to be so selfish, cruel and destructive. All in all this is a story of defiance, love, and survival. I highly recommend it to anyone who gained insight from THE KITE RUNNER or THREE CUPS OF TEA. You can get it from the public library under the title NABEEL's SONG.
October 15, 2015
It is 1979 when a famous young poet from Iraq gathers his family and leaves his homeland. Life has become too dangerous for him to remain. Nabeel Yasin was determined to write his poetry as he saw his country and the people who live there. His defiance made him a target and an enemy of the state.
This is a fascinating story about a young man who believes so strongly in freedom that he writes about it thereby inspiring others to seek it and resist the political repression under which they live. That trait leads him into dangerous situation after dangerous situation. His brothers, who are as determined as he is, are imprisoned, beaten and tortured time and time again.
Nabeel's life and flight from his country are filled with suspense. His courage to seek a life outside of Iraq is admirable. Even though his work is banned and destroyed, many memorized it to keep hope aflame in their own lives. It's a strong tale about a young man who chooses to speak up for what he believes. Inspiring and very well done.
This is a fascinating story about a young man who believes so strongly in freedom that he writes about it thereby inspiring others to seek it and resist the political repression under which they live. That trait leads him into dangerous situation after dangerous situation. His brothers, who are as determined as he is, are imprisoned, beaten and tortured time and time again.
Nabeel's life and flight from his country are filled with suspense. His courage to seek a life outside of Iraq is admirable. Even though his work is banned and destroyed, many memorized it to keep hope aflame in their own lives. It's a strong tale about a young man who chooses to speak up for what he believes. Inspiring and very well done.
February 11, 2014
This book is masterfully written. Jo Tatchell skillfully weaves a touching vision of domestic life in a place that is usually painted as exotic and, more importantly, hidden behind the propaganda of a dictator’s vision. As Nabeel’s story unfolds the reader is drawn deeper and deeper into the staggering and tumultuous events that unfold in the recent history of Baghdad. With my heart racing as the Yasin family meets yet another impossible obstacle to freedom, I had to remind myself again and again that this is a true story, happening to so many all at once. It is a glimpse into the lives behind the images that have come to us through the news, a glimpse from the secret within without the further propaganda of North American interests. It is my opinion that everyone should read this book at least once. I, for one, will read it again, and I hope that Tatchell returns to this book in the coming years and tells us more of Nabeel Yasin’s life since the closing of this book.
September 4, 2012
The book is approximately 80% the story of the Yasin family through the decades, their defiance of Saddam Hussein’s (aka His Excellency the President the Leader God Placed Him) treacherous rule, their struggles to survive despite their growing dissidence, the emotional toll they face as some children are forced into exile without the ability to effectively communicate with family members in a war-torn Iraq. The other 20% delves into the background of Iraq’s totalitarian government, its Secret Police, the wars with Iran and the United States and the suppression of art and culture. In this 80-20 balance, I think the author was fairly successful at keeping me entertained as well as educating me about Iraq’s recent history and the impact on its people.
To read the rest of my review, visit http://beckyajohnson.net/2012/09/04/t...
To read the rest of my review, visit http://beckyajohnson.net/2012/09/04/t...
June 19, 2016
In one way or another, I realised that the silences, dialogues and experiences in this book are universally understood. I have not known nor endured a regime and war as such faced in Iraq, but a few points have hit home. It was also reminiscent of our very own Moi regime.
1. "The greatest sadness is that a generation of Iraqis has been raised on violence. Hate and aggression is their language, the only form of expression they know." - We have tribalism and leading politics to deal with here.
2. Art, unlike violence, can be used as a symbol of defiance of violence and can also be used to ask questions about what happens in a country.
3. "Little by little, that is how the best things are done. A paper here, a book there, Chekhov, Woolf, Ovid, Yassin, and soon the country will be filled with new ideas." - No matter how much tax the government imposes on books.
1. "The greatest sadness is that a generation of Iraqis has been raised on violence. Hate and aggression is their language, the only form of expression they know." - We have tribalism and leading politics to deal with here.
2. Art, unlike violence, can be used as a symbol of defiance of violence and can also be used to ask questions about what happens in a country.
3. "Little by little, that is how the best things are done. A paper here, a book there, Chekhov, Woolf, Ovid, Yassin, and soon the country will be filled with new ideas." - No matter how much tax the government imposes on books.
March 14, 2010
A very good book showing the people of Iraq trying to live under the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein and covers the invasion that topples him from power. We first meet the family before the coup that toppled the puppet government and life improves under the General for Nabeel's family-until the coup which eventually puts Saddam in power. Nabeel is a poet who writes anti-government work and his older brothers are communists which puts the entire family in constant danger. The men are always being arrested, beaten and jailed and Nabeel finally realises that he must find a way to get his wife and child out of Iraq to a better life. A well written true story where you care about the characters.
August 25, 2008
Not particularly well-written, but fascinating for those of us who know little of the modern history of Iraq. The book is also full of little day-to-day details clearly taken directly from the poet's stories of his youth. Nabeel Yasin's rise in Iraq and eventual expulsion provides an fascinating way to observe the workings of politics, power, and greed on literature and culture. Despite underdeveloped charachters and mismatched modifiers, the book moves fast, draws you in, and shocks you again and again.
January 26, 2009
This is the story of Nabeel Yasin, Iraq's most famous poet. The book follows Nabeel through childhood and through the persecution he (and his brothers) experienced under the Ba'ath party and Sudam. The story is amazing and perhaps supports the view that invading Iraq benefited some. I found the first part of the book rich with culture. However the second half seemed to fall into journalism instead of story telling - which isn't a surprise as the author is a journalist for the Guardian and
Prospect Magazine.
Prospect Magazine.
March 26, 2009
A true story of an Iraqi family over the last 50 years. This story (an easy read) certainly has me rethinking some of my strong opinions on the American invasion of Iraq and the current troubles today. As with many stories to which I am drawn, this story reminds me of the most basic truth: people just want to take care of their families. Live in peace with those around them. Have an opportunity to enrich their lives. Why do a few mad men always seem to mess it up for so many?
September 24, 2009
A true look into the lives of those directly before and the decades after Saddam Hussein came into power, this book will captivate you, keep you turning the pages and ultimately break your heart.
I had the privilege of being on vacation when I read this book therefore when I couldn't put it down, I didn't have to.
Warning: If you have a hard time keeping track of names like I do, keep a list as you read who they are. It gets confusing.
I had the privilege of being on vacation when I read this book therefore when I couldn't put it down, I didn't have to.
Warning: If you have a hard time keeping track of names like I do, keep a list as you read who they are. It gets confusing.
March 4, 2017
We are incessantly bombarded with news and politics on a daily basis. Horror, drama and hot air has left me adrift, articles and tweets on bombardments float by, their impact diminished. This book has re-tingled the connection for me, recreating an empathy for the suffering ordinary families in these turbulent times. It is a much-needed read, a reminder that beyond and above politics, people matter.
August 12, 2008
I read this last week at the beach. I think I finished it in two days. It's an engrossing story of a family persecuted and torn apart over several decades in Iraq. The strength and loyalty to ideals of the members of the family portrayed are inspiring. A review on the cover of this book calls it "doubly powerful for the knowledge that a happy ending is still far away." I couldn't agree more.
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October 14, 2008A very interesting look at what everyday life was like living in Iraq over the past thirty years. It follows the lives of one family as they face one repressive regime after another and brings the story right to present day.
Considering the weight of some of the topics it was still very readable and didn't feel like 'homework.'
Considering the weight of some of the topics it was still very readable and didn't feel like 'homework.'
January 29, 2009
This was a very good book about the life of an Iraqi family before, during and after the regime of Saddam Hussein. It saddens me that there are country's out there with such awful leaders. Repulican or Democrat, matters not, in America we are free to believe whatever we want. I appreciate that even more after reading this family's ordeal.
May 20, 2009
This is a book about an Iraqi family raising their children at the time Saddam Hussein took control of Iraq. It is interesting to see how they deal with the tyranny of Saddam and deal with constant threats of being put in jail and having to deal with the injustices that were prevalent in Iraq at this time. This is an excellent book that I highly recommend all to read.
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