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Days of Love and Rage: A Story of Ordinary People Forging a Revolution
From Pulitzer and National Book Award finalist Anand Gopal, a mesmerizing and powerful account of six Syrians fighting for a better world, in the tradition of classic works by Philip Gourevitch and Katherine Boo.
In 2011, in a northern Syrian city, a small group of men and women began a movement that overthrew one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships. For the next eighteen months, citizens of Manbij carried out one of the most remarkable experiments in democracy in modern times.
Days of Love and Rage details the powerfully intimate narratives of men and women who led this struggle, and who experience the highs of camaraderie and the lows of a pair of best friends torn apart by political polarization, a mother who stands up to male dominance, a worker who risks everything for the dream of equality.
Anand Gopal immerses you in the world of a single city in the throes of revolution, and lays bare the danger that inequality poses to democracy. But this book transcends the particulars of one terrible conflict to tell the sweeping story of democracy and rising authoritarianism in our times. It is, above all, an account of the best and worst of humanity. Both tragic and inspiring, Days of Love and Rage is a story of our enduring human need for freedom, security, dignity, community, love, and hope.
In 2011, in a northern Syrian city, a small group of men and women began a movement that overthrew one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships. For the next eighteen months, citizens of Manbij carried out one of the most remarkable experiments in democracy in modern times.
Days of Love and Rage details the powerfully intimate narratives of men and women who led this struggle, and who experience the highs of camaraderie and the lows of a pair of best friends torn apart by political polarization, a mother who stands up to male dominance, a worker who risks everything for the dream of equality.
Anand Gopal immerses you in the world of a single city in the throes of revolution, and lays bare the danger that inequality poses to democracy. But this book transcends the particulars of one terrible conflict to tell the sweeping story of democracy and rising authoritarianism in our times. It is, above all, an account of the best and worst of humanity. Both tragic and inspiring, Days of Love and Rage is a story of our enduring human need for freedom, security, dignity, community, love, and hope.
592 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 19, 2026
3.5 stars
Super important and harrowing nonfiction book that follows six Syrians fighting for a better world amidst an authoritarian government. Lots of heartbreaking, brutal content (e.g., the descriptions of torture were awful though of course important to document) and also great showcasing of the human fight for freedom and dignity. I thought Anand Gopal took great care to portray the individuals in this book with sensitivity and three-dimensionality. There are unfortunately relevant takeaways given the rise of authoritarianism in different parts of the world generally. Also portrayed the serious costs of activism when fighting against a government that doesn’t view you as human or worthy of any respect.
I lower my rating a bit just because history, or texts that focus on history, can be a bit hard for me to follow if the writing isn’t super crisp. Gopal’s writing was solid though just felt a bit detail-heavy at times. But that estimation of his writing just be how my brain doesn’t digest history or history-focused writing easily. Again, a crucial, devastating book.
Super important and harrowing nonfiction book that follows six Syrians fighting for a better world amidst an authoritarian government. Lots of heartbreaking, brutal content (e.g., the descriptions of torture were awful though of course important to document) and also great showcasing of the human fight for freedom and dignity. I thought Anand Gopal took great care to portray the individuals in this book with sensitivity and three-dimensionality. There are unfortunately relevant takeaways given the rise of authoritarianism in different parts of the world generally. Also portrayed the serious costs of activism when fighting against a government that doesn’t view you as human or worthy of any respect.
I lower my rating a bit just because history, or texts that focus on history, can be a bit hard for me to follow if the writing isn’t super crisp. Gopal’s writing was solid though just felt a bit detail-heavy at times. But that estimation of his writing just be how my brain doesn’t digest history or history-focused writing easily. Again, a crucial, devastating book.
March 18, 2026
Every so often one comes in contact with a piece of human creation that is immediately recognizable as a masterpiece. This is one of those moments. "Days of Love and Rage" chronicles the tortuous journey of the ordinary citizens of Manbij, Syria from 2011 to 2025 as they bravely pursue the right to govern themselves.
First, they risk their lives to remove the Assad regime and establish a democratically-run city state. That successful effort is subsequently weakened by conflict over policy objectives and schisms between local leaders. Frustration and discordance enable ISIS to slowly take over the city and subsume Manbij into its caliphate. Citizens continue to rebel, setting the stage for the removal of ISIS by U.S.-backed forces, albeit at a tremendous loss of life and infrastructure.
This is a saga of humans facing torture, imprisonment, loss of livelihood, loss of family, and death for democracy and the principles of liberalism. Through 2,000 interviews along with text and video records, Gopal gives the reader a front row seat to common people doing unimaginably brave things.
First, they risk their lives to remove the Assad regime and establish a democratically-run city state. That successful effort is subsequently weakened by conflict over policy objectives and schisms between local leaders. Frustration and discordance enable ISIS to slowly take over the city and subsume Manbij into its caliphate. Citizens continue to rebel, setting the stage for the removal of ISIS by U.S.-backed forces, albeit at a tremendous loss of life and infrastructure.
This is a saga of humans facing torture, imprisonment, loss of livelihood, loss of family, and death for democracy and the principles of liberalism. Through 2,000 interviews along with text and video records, Gopal gives the reader a front row seat to common people doing unimaginably brave things.
April 4, 2026
dal bych víc hvězd. neuvěřitelná věc
May 5, 2026
A tour de force of humanity and instant classic of nonfiction narrative writing.
April 9, 2026
While this is an exquisitely reported, thoroughly commanding work of journalism that deserves all of our time and respect, I can’t lie and say I was excited to continue listening to this audiobook all the way through.
I learned much about Syria, middle eastern political movements, uprising and rebellion, and I learned about the brave, every-day-sort-of-hero that it takes to make something like these movements happen.
Alas, sometimes, like in some memoir, the details were wrought with such precision as to make me question if some stories were overly embellished to make it read like fiction. Sometimes that works out, but here, it almost felt like it drew the stories out far longer than needed.
Probably, this narrative, human-centered storytelling is the most approachable way to be introduced to much of the complex issues surrounding Syria in the depth Gopal is able to seamlessly describe here, but still—as a book this felt like a lot more like work than interesting reading. I still did the work though, so that speaks volumes about the quality of the book here.
I learned much about Syria, middle eastern political movements, uprising and rebellion, and I learned about the brave, every-day-sort-of-hero that it takes to make something like these movements happen.
Alas, sometimes, like in some memoir, the details were wrought with such precision as to make me question if some stories were overly embellished to make it read like fiction. Sometimes that works out, but here, it almost felt like it drew the stories out far longer than needed.
Probably, this narrative, human-centered storytelling is the most approachable way to be introduced to much of the complex issues surrounding Syria in the depth Gopal is able to seamlessly describe here, but still—as a book this felt like a lot more like work than interesting reading. I still did the work though, so that speaks volumes about the quality of the book here.
April 27, 2026
Harrowing and devastating. As a piece of journalism, it’s perhaps the best piece of non fiction I’ve ever read, breaking down the Syrian revolution through the events in Manbij, a city the size of Dunedin located about 90 minutes from Aleppo. Every state backed group acts indefeasibly, there are no winners, and the innocent are constant collateral damage.
May 27, 2026
Six Syrians in the city of Manbji come to life in this extensively reported book on Syrians' efforts to overthrow Assad. At the time, Manjib was the largest liberated city and became the first to form a participatory democracy. The book covers how Syrians achieved liberation from the regime and how they struggled to establish a democracy. Due to inequality and crime during the fledgling democracy, ISIS outsiders were able to take over by promising justice and help for the working class. Eventually many countries, including the US, were backing different groups fighting in Syria and cities like Manbji were bombed until ISIS retreated.
My favorite parts of this book were learning about these individuals' lives, they were shown in all their complexities. I thought it was interesting to see what brought people into the fight for freedom. I was also very interested in the role women played in the revolution and how of course they were not allowed a voting seat on the revolutionary council. The middle section of this large book was long for me. I got a little lost in all the names and fighting between different revolutionaries after the first liberation. Also, torture, so much torture is detailed.
Coffeepot Roundabout, Book Roundabout, Sailboat Roundabout
positive vs. negative freedoms
velvet elites vs. street
brothers beating or killing their sisters for family honor
"And so, impulsively, people stepped out. They emerged onto the street and joined the procession. Out came Ibrahim, who'd never given a thought to taking part but whose baby brother was somewhere in the swarm, among the marchers. Out came Mina and her husband, walking hand in hand, disappearing into the stream of bodies. Out came housewives and mothers who had never imagined themselves on this stage, or any stage. Out came so many more. And who were they? They were ordinary people, thrust into extraordinary circumstances. They might have watched grainy footage on television and shook their heads, they might have passed homeless hags with crenelated teeth and said, "there but for the grace of God," they might have lined up for work under the girders and cranes of dusty lotes—they might have lived a thousand lives in anonymity, had the regime proved more powerful than the truth. But truth stands on its own, and only lies require scaffolding." p.166
"Was it all worth it? I came to Manbij because I wanted to know: Would it have been better for people never to have stepped onto the rain-slicked streets that April afternoon in 2011 and demanded freedom? Should they have kept quiet, choosing a desolate peace over the horrors that followed? Certainly, tens of thousands would still be alive. Families would be unbroken, cities intact. So many people risked their futures, only to find their world gone to ashes. Looking at everything that's been lost, was it not now perfectly reasonable to give in to despair? and if not, how was one supposed to resist that temptation? This isn't merely a question for Syrians. In an epoch of crumbling institutions and rising oceans, it's one we all confront. To persist in the shadow of great loss demands a certain kind of hopefulness—and that, ultimately, is why I'd come: to investigate the limits and possibilities of hope in a damaged world." p. 458
"Oday's hope, I now understand, was a radical hope: that no matter the disaster in front of him, goodness is possible, even if it is impossible to know how and when it might arrive. Such a hope believes there are fates worse than death. It acts as if another world is possible, while accepting that the world may "close in on you" first. It is a hope that, when transmitted to children, or left behind in books or songs and institutions, can grow and multiply. This is sometimes called a "revolutionary tradition." p. 496
My favorite parts of this book were learning about these individuals' lives, they were shown in all their complexities. I thought it was interesting to see what brought people into the fight for freedom. I was also very interested in the role women played in the revolution and how of course they were not allowed a voting seat on the revolutionary council. The middle section of this large book was long for me. I got a little lost in all the names and fighting between different revolutionaries after the first liberation. Also, torture, so much torture is detailed.
Coffeepot Roundabout, Book Roundabout, Sailboat Roundabout
positive vs. negative freedoms
velvet elites vs. street
brothers beating or killing their sisters for family honor
"And so, impulsively, people stepped out. They emerged onto the street and joined the procession. Out came Ibrahim, who'd never given a thought to taking part but whose baby brother was somewhere in the swarm, among the marchers. Out came Mina and her husband, walking hand in hand, disappearing into the stream of bodies. Out came housewives and mothers who had never imagined themselves on this stage, or any stage. Out came so many more. And who were they? They were ordinary people, thrust into extraordinary circumstances. They might have watched grainy footage on television and shook their heads, they might have passed homeless hags with crenelated teeth and said, "there but for the grace of God," they might have lined up for work under the girders and cranes of dusty lotes—they might have lived a thousand lives in anonymity, had the regime proved more powerful than the truth. But truth stands on its own, and only lies require scaffolding." p.166
"Was it all worth it? I came to Manbij because I wanted to know: Would it have been better for people never to have stepped onto the rain-slicked streets that April afternoon in 2011 and demanded freedom? Should they have kept quiet, choosing a desolate peace over the horrors that followed? Certainly, tens of thousands would still be alive. Families would be unbroken, cities intact. So many people risked their futures, only to find their world gone to ashes. Looking at everything that's been lost, was it not now perfectly reasonable to give in to despair? and if not, how was one supposed to resist that temptation? This isn't merely a question for Syrians. In an epoch of crumbling institutions and rising oceans, it's one we all confront. To persist in the shadow of great loss demands a certain kind of hopefulness—and that, ultimately, is why I'd come: to investigate the limits and possibilities of hope in a damaged world." p. 458
"Oday's hope, I now understand, was a radical hope: that no matter the disaster in front of him, goodness is possible, even if it is impossible to know how and when it might arrive. Such a hope believes there are fates worse than death. It acts as if another world is possible, while accepting that the world may "close in on you" first. It is a hope that, when transmitted to children, or left behind in books or songs and institutions, can grow and multiply. This is sometimes called a "revolutionary tradition." p. 496
June 9, 2026
content - 10/10
style - 9.5/10
resonance - 11/10
wow…. wow. WOW!!!! wow….. how do you give a book a standing ovation?
recommended by my pal patrick radden-keefe, i purchased this humongous hardback out of blind faith and didn’t look back! a narrative non-fiction about the syrian revolution(s) and civil war, gopal follows a few key players during the war and expounds on their lived experience to paint a wider picture of the country’s tumultuous recent history.
i am absolutely blown away by how much of an undertaking this book was, with the thousands of interviews conducted and stories pieced together in warzones. i am even more in awe of the bravery of the countless syrians who were victims of history - players in the story told and untold. gopal does an amazing job of painting each person empathetically, clearly stating their positionality, influenced by larger political forces at play, while individually being capable of giving/receiving immense pain and/or kindness. following main players throughout this recent history also roots these larger political events in the every day human lives it affects, and larger questions about democracy intertwine with personal freedoms and desire. for example, the tension between freedom of religion (in this case, to practice islam) and feminism was fascinating to explore.
i was intimidated by the length of this book before beginning but it absolutely flew past, and i was gripped by every chapter. while i did find the second section on the revolutionary council (2012-2014) a little confusing, it was also really compelling in asking crucial questions about the public mob and its role in democracy. i also found it to be a really accessible yet in-depth introduction to the politics of the middle east which i’ve been keen to learn more about.
focussed on the town of manjib, the book also crucially follows the birth and rise of ISIS after the first revolution - and so many larger ideas of religion and the state, freedom and justice are thrown into question here. what is freedom without security? what is safety without freedom?
finally, gopal does a phenomenal job of wrapping things up at the end - with the second (and final) fall of the assad regime, syria’s story is far from over. and yet there is so much to learn from the human endeavour to fight for each other. with the rise of fascism, there is such danger in the narratives we believe about ourselves and the world we live in, in the way we justify our actions. on the flip side, a stubborn belief in one’s purpose can also gives us hope - it is the discernment of narratives that is vital.
10/10, so much nuance and brilliantly executed
style - 9.5/10
resonance - 11/10
wow…. wow. WOW!!!! wow….. how do you give a book a standing ovation?
recommended by my pal patrick radden-keefe, i purchased this humongous hardback out of blind faith and didn’t look back! a narrative non-fiction about the syrian revolution(s) and civil war, gopal follows a few key players during the war and expounds on their lived experience to paint a wider picture of the country’s tumultuous recent history.
i am absolutely blown away by how much of an undertaking this book was, with the thousands of interviews conducted and stories pieced together in warzones. i am even more in awe of the bravery of the countless syrians who were victims of history - players in the story told and untold. gopal does an amazing job of painting each person empathetically, clearly stating their positionality, influenced by larger political forces at play, while individually being capable of giving/receiving immense pain and/or kindness. following main players throughout this recent history also roots these larger political events in the every day human lives it affects, and larger questions about democracy intertwine with personal freedoms and desire. for example, the tension between freedom of religion (in this case, to practice islam) and feminism was fascinating to explore.
i was intimidated by the length of this book before beginning but it absolutely flew past, and i was gripped by every chapter. while i did find the second section on the revolutionary council (2012-2014) a little confusing, it was also really compelling in asking crucial questions about the public mob and its role in democracy. i also found it to be a really accessible yet in-depth introduction to the politics of the middle east which i’ve been keen to learn more about.
focussed on the town of manjib, the book also crucially follows the birth and rise of ISIS after the first revolution - and so many larger ideas of religion and the state, freedom and justice are thrown into question here. what is freedom without security? what is safety without freedom?
finally, gopal does a phenomenal job of wrapping things up at the end - with the second (and final) fall of the assad regime, syria’s story is far from over. and yet there is so much to learn from the human endeavour to fight for each other. with the rise of fascism, there is such danger in the narratives we believe about ourselves and the world we live in, in the way we justify our actions. on the flip side, a stubborn belief in one’s purpose can also gives us hope - it is the discernment of narratives that is vital.
10/10, so much nuance and brilliantly executed
May 11, 2026
I really enjoyed everything I learned by reading this, but I wish that the pace was a bit more swift. Got bogged down in some places by how extraordinary the research is and it took me out of the narrative style.
Did Not Finish
March 5, 2026I received this ARC in exchange for a review. I unfortunately DNF’d it. This has nothing to do with the book and everything to do with my reading taste and the amount of information I can digest. I read 426 pages and realized I could not keep up with what was happening and what it means in the greater context of Syrian history.
Some context on me as a reader- I rarely read nonfiction but I enjoy historical fiction and I enjoy memoirs so I thought I would try at Days of Love and Rage. I did not realize it would be 592 pages….
Even with the high page count that I wasn’t mentally prepared for, these stories captured me as they are filled with resilience and a horrific look at the Syrian regimes. Unfortunately, I think some pre-reading may be required on the history of Syria up until the point of the revolutions. I felt a bit lost contextually until we are following the stories of the revolutionaries.
I was unable to follow all of the people we meet in the story. It was difficult to discern who to try to remember as they will come up again, or if they’re involved just in the current sentence.
Personally I would have loved a version of this that’s a bit shorter for my understanding, as I have no previous background in reading or learning about Syria.
Now despite this, my attention was held as the storytelling and writing are so compelling. I think that anyone who is interested should pick this book up and learn as much as they can from it. It’s easy to read and hold an attention span, and I’m sure readers who are comfortable with historical non-fiction would love this writing and story telling.
Some context on me as a reader- I rarely read nonfiction but I enjoy historical fiction and I enjoy memoirs so I thought I would try at Days of Love and Rage. I did not realize it would be 592 pages….
Even with the high page count that I wasn’t mentally prepared for, these stories captured me as they are filled with resilience and a horrific look at the Syrian regimes. Unfortunately, I think some pre-reading may be required on the history of Syria up until the point of the revolutions. I felt a bit lost contextually until we are following the stories of the revolutionaries.
I was unable to follow all of the people we meet in the story. It was difficult to discern who to try to remember as they will come up again, or if they’re involved just in the current sentence.
Personally I would have loved a version of this that’s a bit shorter for my understanding, as I have no previous background in reading or learning about Syria.
Now despite this, my attention was held as the storytelling and writing are so compelling. I think that anyone who is interested should pick this book up and learn as much as they can from it. It’s easy to read and hold an attention span, and I’m sure readers who are comfortable with historical non-fiction would love this writing and story telling.
February 27, 2026
Books that show the true side of what people have gone through, stories that may not have been heard before are heartwrenching. This was peoples real lives and history. There are so many individuals focused on in this book which got very confusing for me to try to remember who was who and what was whose story, but given that ALL of these people connect at some point and everyone’s stories are essential for others stories I understand that this is how the book had to be laid out. It’s always sad to see the terrible things people have gone through. I can only imagine how scary it must have been to be living in Syria at this time. The descriptions were so upsetting because this was peoples lives. And the fact that the effects of all that happened are still there today. This book was very sharp and hard hitting.
I was hoping for a happy ending as i got closer to completing the book. But real life and where we are now does not usually have happy endings.
This book contains so much research and it was all done with so much care. As you read you can feel the effort and importance put on this work to display what happened in a truthful light.
I was hoping for a happy ending as i got closer to completing the book. But real life and where we are now does not usually have happy endings.
This book contains so much research and it was all done with so much care. As you read you can feel the effort and importance put on this work to display what happened in a truthful light.
April 20, 2026
I appreciate the audacity of this book's aim to provide a kaleidoscopic view of the syrian revolution through individuals' experiences and lives. The amount of work that went into this history is astounding, and Gopal does an admirable job of rooting the reader in the town and its chaos. However, I couldn't keep all the characters straight, the revolutions and counterrevolutions blurred, and the underlying morality became murkier as time passed. Perhaps that is the point. Gopal tries to salvage hope from the story, but it is a thin reed in the end. ultimately very depressing.
May 31, 2026
This is a horrific story of the Syrian civil war playing out over a 14-year period in the small city of Manbij in NW Syria. The author focuses on a small core of men and women fighting for personal freedom and dignity through protests, work strikes, and small acts of disobedience. Their sacrifices and suffering are heartbreaking as they battle the Assad regime, corrupt liberation groups, Islamic State administrators and religious police, Kurdish fighters, and finally American “liberators” with their indiscriminate bombing. There are no good guys in this story, only the self-serving interests of megalomaniacal leaders trying to consolidate power as Syrian families struggle to survive in this unmitigated hellscape.
April 29, 2026
10/10. One of the best books I’ve ever read.
Days of Love and Rage follows several Syrians as they pursue democracy, dignity, and freedom in different ways during the Syrian revolution. It’s an incredible portrait of how revolutions begin, how they unravel, and how even noble causes can consume people.
What makes this book special is that it works on every level. It’s deeply informative, emotionally powerful, and impossible to put down. Gopal explains a complicated conflict through individual lives, which makes everything hit harder than a standard history book ever could.
The people in this book are not presented as heroes or villains. They are complicated, flawed, brave, fearful, hopeful human beings trying to survive history as it crashes down around them.
It also just reads beautifully. There were multiple times I forgot I was reading nonfiction because it has the pacing and intensity of a great novel.
I’ve never read a book that taught me so much, moved me so much, and held my attention so completely at the same time.
An all-time masterpiece.
Days of Love and Rage follows several Syrians as they pursue democracy, dignity, and freedom in different ways during the Syrian revolution. It’s an incredible portrait of how revolutions begin, how they unravel, and how even noble causes can consume people.
What makes this book special is that it works on every level. It’s deeply informative, emotionally powerful, and impossible to put down. Gopal explains a complicated conflict through individual lives, which makes everything hit harder than a standard history book ever could.
The people in this book are not presented as heroes or villains. They are complicated, flawed, brave, fearful, hopeful human beings trying to survive history as it crashes down around them.
It also just reads beautifully. There were multiple times I forgot I was reading nonfiction because it has the pacing and intensity of a great novel.
I’ve never read a book that taught me so much, moved me so much, and held my attention so completely at the same time.
An all-time masterpiece.
March 4, 2026
This is a nonfiction masterpiece from one of the finest journalists working today.
"Days of Love and Rage" is about the Syrian Civil War in the same way that "Animal Farm" is about cows and ducks. The book is deeply rooted in a certain place and time, to be sure, but its story illuminates deep and universal questions about democracy, human society, freedom, and class struggle. Anand Gopal has travelled the world and witnessed hardship and conflict at its worst. This book is clearly the distillation of the hard wisdom he has gleaned through the experience.
The story itself unfolds with the energy of a great novel. We meet extraordinary people who are rendered with the care and detail of great literature. There is Abdul Os, a striving Kurdish shop owner who becomes a community leader; Hasan Nefi, the poet and revolutionary who suffers in a dungeon; Oday al-Hema, an ambitious and restless young Syrian who can't seem to accept the world as it is; and Mina Saba, a woman oppressed by a world of "honor" who makes the shattering decision to join protests during the Arab Spring.
These stories are intertwined in the city of Manbij, a place that comes alive with the narrative strength of Dickens' London. Manbij is a place of tradition and order, until the arrival of the Syrian revolution. Gopal tells the remarkable story of Manbij over several years as its citizens defy an authoritarian ruler, form a democratic society, and then fall under the power of theocratic tyranny.
The story here is timeless, the story of how people struggle to manifest that thing we call "freedom" through the messy construction of committees, revolutionary councils and civic groups. Gopal's telling of the story is studded with insights that stop you cold, insights that feel not only relevant to our moment, but urgent. The first revolutionary council of Manbij, for example, is run by upper-class professionals who seem immune to the pressing needs of the poor. "As its first act, the body pledged not to tackle (rising) prices but to 'restore the beauty and charm of our streets' by hiring street cleaners," Gopal writes. It sounded like a post-mortem of a recent American presidential election. The events that followed in Majbij were chillingly resonant as well.
The writing here is nothing short of poetic. Describing the pain of families whose loved ones disappeared in the war—whether to prison camps or combat—Gopal writes: "The missing were legion. Their presence, in their perpetual absence, loomed over daily life, like a huge army encampment outside town, just past the hills, beyond the reach of ordinary mortals."
We are lucky to have this monumental work from such an important writer. This is the kind of book that comes along once a decade, at best. It will certainly be read for decades to come.
"Days of Love and Rage" is about the Syrian Civil War in the same way that "Animal Farm" is about cows and ducks. The book is deeply rooted in a certain place and time, to be sure, but its story illuminates deep and universal questions about democracy, human society, freedom, and class struggle. Anand Gopal has travelled the world and witnessed hardship and conflict at its worst. This book is clearly the distillation of the hard wisdom he has gleaned through the experience.
The story itself unfolds with the energy of a great novel. We meet extraordinary people who are rendered with the care and detail of great literature. There is Abdul Os, a striving Kurdish shop owner who becomes a community leader; Hasan Nefi, the poet and revolutionary who suffers in a dungeon; Oday al-Hema, an ambitious and restless young Syrian who can't seem to accept the world as it is; and Mina Saba, a woman oppressed by a world of "honor" who makes the shattering decision to join protests during the Arab Spring.
These stories are intertwined in the city of Manbij, a place that comes alive with the narrative strength of Dickens' London. Manbij is a place of tradition and order, until the arrival of the Syrian revolution. Gopal tells the remarkable story of Manbij over several years as its citizens defy an authoritarian ruler, form a democratic society, and then fall under the power of theocratic tyranny.
The story here is timeless, the story of how people struggle to manifest that thing we call "freedom" through the messy construction of committees, revolutionary councils and civic groups. Gopal's telling of the story is studded with insights that stop you cold, insights that feel not only relevant to our moment, but urgent. The first revolutionary council of Manbij, for example, is run by upper-class professionals who seem immune to the pressing needs of the poor. "As its first act, the body pledged not to tackle (rising) prices but to 'restore the beauty and charm of our streets' by hiring street cleaners," Gopal writes. It sounded like a post-mortem of a recent American presidential election. The events that followed in Majbij were chillingly resonant as well.
The writing here is nothing short of poetic. Describing the pain of families whose loved ones disappeared in the war—whether to prison camps or combat—Gopal writes: "The missing were legion. Their presence, in their perpetual absence, loomed over daily life, like a huge army encampment outside town, just past the hills, beyond the reach of ordinary mortals."
We are lucky to have this monumental work from such an important writer. This is the kind of book that comes along once a decade, at best. It will certainly be read for decades to come.
June 13, 2026
Days of Love and Rage by Anand Gopal, Pulitzer Prize finalist and contributor to The New Yorker, is one of the most important books I have ever read. Among the hundreds of books I have encountered, this extraordinary work stands apart. Through deeply immersive narrative nonfiction, Gopal brings to life the courage, sacrifice, and determination of Syrian revolutionaries struggling against dictatorship, restoring humanity to a story too often reduced to headlines and geopolitics.
Few books have left such an indelible mark on my heart and soul. It is not merely a remarkable work of political nonfiction; it is a profound testament to human dignity, resistance, and hope. This is a book I will continue recommending for years to come.
In 2011, in a northern Syrian city, a small group of men and women began a movement that overthrew a brutal dictatorship. For the next eighteen months, many of the citizens of Manbij carried out one of the most remarkable experiments in democracy in modern times.
Days of Love and Rage details the powerfully intimate narratives of the men and women who led this struggle, and who experienced the highs of camaraderie and the lows of betrayal. Among them: a pair of best friends torn apart by political polarization, a mother who stands up to male dominance, and a worker who risks everything for the dream of equality.
This book is an eye-opening read. It sheds light on the struggles of ordinary people in the Middle East and provides valuable context for understanding some of the defining events of our time. Through its pages, the stories of resistance against tyranny, the plight of Syrian refugees, the rise and fall of ISIS, and the geopolitical contest among global powers become more than headlines—they become deeply human experiences.
Shocking, heartbreaking, riveting, and powerfully written, this 500-page book feels like Syria's gift to humanity. Knowing that these are real-life stories made me realize how privileged many of us are to live in places where democracy is often taken for granted. How easy it is to overlook the value of freedoms we never had to sacrifice our lives for. These stories are a reminder of what it means to fight unwaveringly for a better world, even in the face of unimaginable hardship.
I will never forget one concept from this book: 'Radical Hope': the idea that no matter the disaster in front of you, goodness is possible, even if it is impossible to know how and when it might arrive.
Spoilers:
I’m deeply heartbroken for so many of these heroes, yet I’m left with nothing but awe, admiration, and profound respect for their courage. To willingly offer their lives in the face of such atrocity is almost beyond comprehension. I was especially moved by the story of young Oday Al-Hema—what an extraordinary soul.
Few books have left such an indelible mark on my heart and soul. It is not merely a remarkable work of political nonfiction; it is a profound testament to human dignity, resistance, and hope. This is a book I will continue recommending for years to come.
In 2011, in a northern Syrian city, a small group of men and women began a movement that overthrew a brutal dictatorship. For the next eighteen months, many of the citizens of Manbij carried out one of the most remarkable experiments in democracy in modern times.
Days of Love and Rage details the powerfully intimate narratives of the men and women who led this struggle, and who experienced the highs of camaraderie and the lows of betrayal. Among them: a pair of best friends torn apart by political polarization, a mother who stands up to male dominance, and a worker who risks everything for the dream of equality.
This book is an eye-opening read. It sheds light on the struggles of ordinary people in the Middle East and provides valuable context for understanding some of the defining events of our time. Through its pages, the stories of resistance against tyranny, the plight of Syrian refugees, the rise and fall of ISIS, and the geopolitical contest among global powers become more than headlines—they become deeply human experiences.
Shocking, heartbreaking, riveting, and powerfully written, this 500-page book feels like Syria's gift to humanity. Knowing that these are real-life stories made me realize how privileged many of us are to live in places where democracy is often taken for granted. How easy it is to overlook the value of freedoms we never had to sacrifice our lives for. These stories are a reminder of what it means to fight unwaveringly for a better world, even in the face of unimaginable hardship.
I will never forget one concept from this book: 'Radical Hope': the idea that no matter the disaster in front of you, goodness is possible, even if it is impossible to know how and when it might arrive.
Spoilers:
I’m deeply heartbroken for so many of these heroes, yet I’m left with nothing but awe, admiration, and profound respect for their courage. To willingly offer their lives in the face of such atrocity is almost beyond comprehension. I was especially moved by the story of young Oday Al-Hema—what an extraordinary soul.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2026
I will read anything Anand Gopal writes. He has to be one of the best journalists of our time. I don't know how he extracts so much detail out of his interview subjects, nevermind where he finds people with such incredible stories. One almost can't believe this stuff is real; it's so movie-like. Which is not to say the book's virtue is in entertainment value. This is a tour de force that covers the full sweep of human experience as it was lived in a city in Syria during the civil war. We get a richly vivid depiction of peasant life, the promise and tragedy of third world modernization, and the process of democratic revolution from its inssipient protest phase to outright rebellion to seizure of power.
As the book's subtitle suggests, this is a story of ordinary people who struggle to become conscious of themselves as free, take responsibility for their own fate, and figure out how to organize their lives without guidance from any higher authority. And doing all of that while trying to hold a fractious city together and being relentlessly bombed by Assad's warplanes. Their democratic experiment didn't survive more than two years, though, not because of external threats so much as the internal contradiction between liberalism, or more specifically capitalism, and formal democracy. This book might be considered a case study in how they come apart, and why, as a result, religious fundamentalism appears as such an attractive remedy, even or especially to the least religious persons. The Islamic State is given an admirably objective portrayal; its hideous oppression of women, public executions and petty fanaticism are not hidden, but neither are all of its appeals--the effective governance, provision of public services, disappearance of crime and corruption, instilling of a sense of moral definitiveness, and so on. The Western caricature of ISIS is dispensed with in favor of an examination of the group's responsiveness to felt contradictions in the social order, and compared to the quasi-apocalyptic nightmare wrought on the city's civilian population by the US-backed SDF in its "liberation" of Manbij (Vietnam's "we had to destroy the city to save it" yet again), one isn't even so sure they wouldn't have been better off continuing to struggle for freedom under Islamic tyranny instead.
These are all serious political matters, but the book has just as much to say about more ordinary human questions of love and loyalty, family, art, philosophy, and so forth. It is also frequently quite funny, and the final hundred pages or so left me in tears, not for humour but for heartbreak. Point is, read this book. And read Gopal's other amazing work: No Good Men Among the Living. It is essentially the same treatment for Afghanistan.
As the book's subtitle suggests, this is a story of ordinary people who struggle to become conscious of themselves as free, take responsibility for their own fate, and figure out how to organize their lives without guidance from any higher authority. And doing all of that while trying to hold a fractious city together and being relentlessly bombed by Assad's warplanes. Their democratic experiment didn't survive more than two years, though, not because of external threats so much as the internal contradiction between liberalism, or more specifically capitalism, and formal democracy. This book might be considered a case study in how they come apart, and why, as a result, religious fundamentalism appears as such an attractive remedy, even or especially to the least religious persons. The Islamic State is given an admirably objective portrayal; its hideous oppression of women, public executions and petty fanaticism are not hidden, but neither are all of its appeals--the effective governance, provision of public services, disappearance of crime and corruption, instilling of a sense of moral definitiveness, and so on. The Western caricature of ISIS is dispensed with in favor of an examination of the group's responsiveness to felt contradictions in the social order, and compared to the quasi-apocalyptic nightmare wrought on the city's civilian population by the US-backed SDF in its "liberation" of Manbij (Vietnam's "we had to destroy the city to save it" yet again), one isn't even so sure they wouldn't have been better off continuing to struggle for freedom under Islamic tyranny instead.
These are all serious political matters, but the book has just as much to say about more ordinary human questions of love and loyalty, family, art, philosophy, and so forth. It is also frequently quite funny, and the final hundred pages or so left me in tears, not for humour but for heartbreak. Point is, read this book. And read Gopal's other amazing work: No Good Men Among the Living. It is essentially the same treatment for Afghanistan.
May 17, 2026
This is one of the most ambitious nonfiction books I’ve ever read. It is equal parts interpersonal drama following illicit trysts and broken friendships, political commentary and treatise, and historical recollection through a dizzying array of first hand sources (the methodology is section is fascinating). In some ways it reminded me of the sweeping panorama of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia painted in War and Peace.
I think this book is excels the most as a pure empathy tool. As westerners the tragedy of the Syrian civil war gets lost behind a morass of parties and acronyms and becomes this dense web of sectarian violence we rarely bother to untangle. Gopal doesn’t really attempt to untangle this web through and systemic accounting of the various factions and alliances, but by centering his book on 6 main characters (and a litany of tertiary characters) you feel a deeper sense of understanding of some of the central perspectives in the conflict. For example, one character enables the growth of ISIS in his city and eventually joins the organization. While his story is deeply frustrating it’s also deeply human, and you see that his decisions were not borne out of deeply held religious fundamentalist but instead personal grievances and perceived slights.
Gopal also uses the book to argue that the Syrian conflict is fundamentally one of economic inequality (as many revolutions have been). I think he makes this argument quite successfully and at various points draws broad parallels with the inequality crisis in the west. While I think that’s fertile ground for analysis and thought, these comparisons are so broad and sweeping (ironically, reminding me of some Tolstoy passages i may or may not have began to glaze over) I think Gopal maybe would’ve better served letting the reader draw their own conclusions. Nevertheless, the economic story painted is fascinating. For example Gopal describes how ISIS gained supporters through a message of economic populism and appeal to halcyon days of Islamic caliphates when everyone could keep their doors unlocked. It does not require much adroitness on the part of the reader to draw a comparison to the populism of the MAGA movement.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a long book (almost 600 pages) and not for the faint of heart both for its length and the gripping story of a country’s struggle for freedom (not always pretty but authentic in the telling). It’s an authoritative and important read.
Spanning from 2011 to 2024, the book tells the story of the people who rose up in Syria to gain their freedom from the despotic authoritarian government of Bashar Al-Assad. Centered in Manjib, a city of ordinary people, the book is inspiring in its story of those who rose up against Al-Assad and the Islamic revolutionaries. In chronological order, the book tells of all the things these citizens did to counter the awfulness of these governments. Frankly at times I thought I was reading about Minneapolis and ICE actions in this country.
The author tells the story of several residents in Manjib (a list of all can be found the end of the book). He and local researchers conducted over 2000 interviews in developing this portrait. (Be sure to read the methodology sections at the end of the book.). This look into the intimate and painful moments of ordinary people engaged in a fight for freedom is painful at times to read but also eye opening in the importance freedom means to people.
It was very inspiring to read what people did - like elect a council to organize protests. As one reviewer pointed out this act of journalism yields an “important account of an uprising that shook the Middle East.” It also as stated in the book shows how tyranny is a threat to democracy but inequality is what destroys democracy - an incredibly prescient statement in these times.
If you are interested in history, in the Middle East or just learning more about makes people yearn to be free, this book is for you.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Simon&Schuster for allowing me to read this ARC.
Spanning from 2011 to 2024, the book tells the story of the people who rose up in Syria to gain their freedom from the despotic authoritarian government of Bashar Al-Assad. Centered in Manjib, a city of ordinary people, the book is inspiring in its story of those who rose up against Al-Assad and the Islamic revolutionaries. In chronological order, the book tells of all the things these citizens did to counter the awfulness of these governments. Frankly at times I thought I was reading about Minneapolis and ICE actions in this country.
The author tells the story of several residents in Manjib (a list of all can be found the end of the book). He and local researchers conducted over 2000 interviews in developing this portrait. (Be sure to read the methodology sections at the end of the book.). This look into the intimate and painful moments of ordinary people engaged in a fight for freedom is painful at times to read but also eye opening in the importance freedom means to people.
It was very inspiring to read what people did - like elect a council to organize protests. As one reviewer pointed out this act of journalism yields an “important account of an uprising that shook the Middle East.” It also as stated in the book shows how tyranny is a threat to democracy but inequality is what destroys democracy - an incredibly prescient statement in these times.
If you are interested in history, in the Middle East or just learning more about makes people yearn to be free, this book is for you.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Simon&Schuster for allowing me to read this ARC.
May 3, 2026
Compelling narrative nonfiction about a very complex topic. The Syrian civil war has been one of the biggest modern calamites and unfortunately the country is still fractured. Obviously, after Assad's ousting, building up a true democracy with free and fair elections is going to take time, but I fear that other countries are taking advantage of and stoking the upheaval in Syria. What I hope now is that as democracy becomes the norm, smaller ethnic groups will stop facing human rights abuses and crimes against humanity. And that civilians find their lost relatives that Assad locked up in his horrible torture prisons, like Sednaya.
I appreciated hearing this story from the perspective of a revolutionary that wanted the best for his country and people, but didn't always align with the best people (for ISIS that's an understatement) but when on to take accountability for his mistakes and keep fighting for his country's freedom.
I appreciated hearing this story from the perspective of a revolutionary that wanted the best for his country and people, but didn't always align with the best people (for ISIS that's an understatement) but when on to take accountability for his mistakes and keep fighting for his country's freedom.
June 27, 2026
Before reading these stories about revolutionaries in Manbij I had not really learned about the Syrian civil war. The book discusses democracy and values and the different groups trying to take control of the city. It gets a little into the political science but also sticks to the real people I was very impressed by the number of sources he got, and liked the last chapter where the author was searching for someone in the first person. In the end the book was really heartbreaking and the fighting scenes were intense and hard to put down. It was interesting to hear about people's views on America too, and how people were using the internet and social media to organize against the government and other groups in power. I was shocked during certain chapters and couldn't believe parts were real and happened within the past 15 years.
March 18, 2026
Personally, I love history and learning the different narratives so this book was perfection for me. The stories of the different people showed a comparable world and vision of hope. I appreciated the format of the book, it made it easy to remember who the perspective was from and to realize the connection between them.
This was a great resource to learn about Syria and more current events related to the revolution and happenings. Overall, I would recommend for someone into learning about culture, history, and/or opening your mind to view a different world perspective.
This was a great resource to learn about Syria and more current events related to the revolution and happenings. Overall, I would recommend for someone into learning about culture, history, and/or opening your mind to view a different world perspective.
May 7, 2026
The stories of the atrocities during the Syrian Revolution and the ISIS incursion that followed might keep you up at night. But, it's important to know about them. People gave up everything in their fight against tyranny in their country and were subject to unimaginable horrors. The author does a brilliant job of sharing their experiences and it's presented in stunning, literary detail. Difficult to read but arguably essential to gain an understanding of human nature: how low it can sink and how high it can soar.
May 8, 2026
I liked No Good Men Amongst the Living so much that when I finished it, I immediately read Days of Love and Rage. It's just as well-written, and explores the lives of different people (some of them ringleaders of the youth movements against al-Assad) from the same northern Syrian city of Manbij before the Civil War, during the Revolution of 2011, the ISIS Counterrevolution in 2015/2016, and the American-backed SDF shortly afterwards. Some gristly details of torture in Syria's own gulag archipelago.
Medium-length, finished in one day.
Medium-length, finished in one day.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you Simon and Schuster for sending me a free advance copy!
4.5 stars
DAYS OF LOVE AND RAGE is a nonfiction book worth checking out as it covers what’s been going on in Syria for the last couple decades. For many of us in the Western world, we don’t realize the true extent of how Syrians were affected by the dictatorship and the revolution that followed. This book provided great insight as it features 6 Syrians who became involved in the movement. Putting their lives at risk with the hope it would lead to a better Syria, one centered on equality.
A heartbreaking but powerful and important read. Nonfiction writing at its best as you take notice of this country and the plight of its citizens. Highly recommend.
4.5 stars
DAYS OF LOVE AND RAGE is a nonfiction book worth checking out as it covers what’s been going on in Syria for the last couple decades. For many of us in the Western world, we don’t realize the true extent of how Syrians were affected by the dictatorship and the revolution that followed. This book provided great insight as it features 6 Syrians who became involved in the movement. Putting their lives at risk with the hope it would lead to a better Syria, one centered on equality.
A heartbreaking but powerful and important read. Nonfiction writing at its best as you take notice of this country and the plight of its citizens. Highly recommend.
May 12, 2026
If Proust's subject had been democracy and revolution rather than memory and love, if David Simon made television about the Arab Spring rather than urban life in Baltimore, if Orwell had gone to Syria in the 2010s instead of Spain in the 1930s, the result might be something as spectacular as this book.
June 22, 2026
If you want to get an up and close personal look at Syria, this is your book. I learned so much but felt so much pain for the people there. I realized there would be no end to the book because the struggle that all the main characters were fighting for still remains in real life. What a gift Gopal gave to us to understand a little bit more of this country.
March 15, 2026
4.25⭐️
I thought it was good, but more historical context and backstory would’ve been helpful at the start because I had no idea where we were or why we were there until basically the last 200 pages
I thought it was good, but more historical context and backstory would’ve been helpful at the start because I had no idea where we were or why we were there until basically the last 200 pages
April 14, 2026
One of the best books I’ve ever read.
April 25, 2026
This is the kind of important book that shows you that people are complicated and sometimes make big decisions for simple reasons.
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