Why Mister, Why? Iraq 2003-2004

by Geert van Kesteren (Photographer), Michael Hirsh (Contributor), Jan Gruiters (Contributor)

Featuring more than 250 images, Why Mister, Why? is a compelling account from photojournalist Geert van Kesteren. For the most part of 2003 and into 2004, van Kesteren made these images in a struggling Iraq, intertwining them with his personal experience of the situation in diary-like notes. In that way, this body of work resonates with an honesty found only when the narrator and photographer of a story are one and the same. The situation in Iraq, following the declaration of "mission accomplished," represented a culture clash of rare proportions, and van Kesteren was witness to what went wrong. He saw clouds of sadness coming from the mass graves created by the Saddam regime, while Shi'ites enjoyed their awakening freedom. Embedded within the ranks of US troops, he witnessed disgraceful raids on Iraqi citizens. And these accounts are presented here for the reader to see, feel, and try to understand. In a clear photojournalistic way, van Kesteren outlines why it will take a long time before the Iraqi people can enjoy the semblance of peace. Accompanying the images is an introduction by Newsweek senior editor Michael Hirsh, with whom Van Kesteren shared several tense moments in Iraq.

544 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Ianluna · Rating 5 out of 5]

a beautiful—and from a book-making perspective, brilliantly engineered—book on the photojournalism of Geert van Kestren. Shot early in the sunni insurgency (mid 2003 through early 2004), the bilingual graphic conceit and the quiet power of the images combine to create one of the most intimate and affecting records of the iraq war to date.

[Ahmed K-masterly {Cruel Sanity} · Rating 5 out of 5]

أنه كتاب (لُقُطة) بالفعل، فقد حصلت عليه بالصدفه في معرض الكتاب الذي أقيم نهاية السنة الماضيه، وانتظرت دخول السنه الجديده لأبدأ قراءته، وتبين انه كتاب نادر، خاصة النسخه العربية منه، يناقش حقبة الحرب الأليمة على العراق مابين (٢٠٠٣-٢٠٠٤)، بعنوان أليم ومزعج ومضحك في ذات الوقت، ومقالات متنوعة اشبه بمذكرات للأحداث يومية خلال سنتين من الدماء، وصور كثيره مدهشه غاصةً بالوجع، كل هذا يجعل الكتاب كوثائقي من وثائقيات الحرب عن قناة الجزيرة او العربية، وللوثائقي متعةً خاصة، صادر عن دار إيمار (سوريا - دمشق) الدار المثير الذي حصلت سابقاً على كتابين من اصداره، وهذا الثالث لا يخفى ذكره.
أجواء الكتاب وحسه الوثائقي والحقبة المناقشة، تطابق إلى حد كبير، أجواء كتابين قرأتهما السنه الماضيه، وسوف اذكر العنواين للأستفادة:
(جون نيكسون - استجواب الرئيس)
(نوفل الجنابي - المراسلون الجريئون)
وحصلت ايضاً على الكتاب الآخر لنوفل الجنابي بعنوان (في الطابق الرابع).سأبدأ بقراءته قريباً.

[Kavya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb photos of U.S. military folly in Iraq. The author succeeds to get extremely subversive angles in shots and acute observations of U.S. misguided hubris despite being embedded in a military division. The Arabic translation and organization (one can read the book from "back" to "front" with the Arabic text) is also very useful for those who read the book from an Arabic background.

[Anka Gujabidze · Rating 4 out of 5]

the books is a perfect visual description of whats happening in Iraq, not only photos and the texts are interesting but the book itself, is like a documentary novel and it touches a lot of problematic themes with the depth. I suggest this book not only to photographers but to everyone...

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book of photographs about the Iraq war. Produced with passion and intelligence, though also could have benefited from a tighter edit.