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No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria
Winner of the Overseas Press Club of America's Cornelius Ryan AwardFinalist for the Lionel Gelber Prize“Rania Abouzeid has produced a work of stunning reportage from the very heart of the conflict, daring to go to the most dangerous places in order to get the story.” —Dexter Filkins, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Forever War
Award-winning journalist Rania Abouzeid dissects the tangle of ideologies and allegiances that make up the Syrian conflict through the dramatic stories of four young people seeking safety and freedom in a shattered country. Hailed by critics, No Turning Back masterfully “[weaves] together the lives of protestors, victims, and remorseless killers at the center of this century’s most appalling human tragedy” (Robert F. Worth). Based on more than five years of fearless, clandestine reporting, No Turning Back brings readers deep inside Bashar al-Assad’s prisons, to covert meetings where foreign states and organizations manipulated the rebels, and to the highest levels of Islamic militancy and the formation of the Islamic State. An utterly engrossing human drama full of vivid, indelible characters, No Turning Back shows how hope can flourish even amid one of the twenty-first century’s greatest humanitarian disasters.
Award-winning journalist Rania Abouzeid dissects the tangle of ideologies and allegiances that make up the Syrian conflict through the dramatic stories of four young people seeking safety and freedom in a shattered country. Hailed by critics, No Turning Back masterfully “[weaves] together the lives of protestors, victims, and remorseless killers at the center of this century’s most appalling human tragedy” (Robert F. Worth). Based on more than five years of fearless, clandestine reporting, No Turning Back brings readers deep inside Bashar al-Assad’s prisons, to covert meetings where foreign states and organizations manipulated the rebels, and to the highest levels of Islamic militancy and the formation of the Islamic State. An utterly engrossing human drama full of vivid, indelible characters, No Turning Back shows how hope can flourish even amid one of the twenty-first century’s greatest humanitarian disasters.
383 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2018
219 people are currently reading
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About the author
Rania Abouzeid
3 books70 followersRania Abouzeid has won the Michael Kelly Award and George Polk Award for foreign reporting, among many other prizes for international journalism. She has written for The New Yorker, Time, Foreign Affairs, Politico, the Guardian, and the Los Angeles Times. A New America, Ochberg, and Harvard Nieman fellow, she lives in Beirut, Lebanon.
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December 21, 2020
When the revolution that tore Syria apart began in 2011 Abouzeid went in to cover it. Abouzeid is a freelance journalist living in Beirut who had been reporting on Syria before the revolution broke out. Already blacklisted by the Assad regime, she spent most of her time in rebel held areas entering from Turkey. An Arabic speaker she fit in culturally enabling her to form relationships and get open firsthand accounts. Hers is a bottom up rather than top down view of the conflict. She focuses on several individuals who come from different towns, have different backgrounds and beliefs and join different opposition groups in the war. We follow what happens to them during the conflict up to 2016 when the book ends. Abouzeid puts them in context reporting on their families, friends and communities. We witness how everyone copes the best they can as they struggle just to survive. These are very personal accounts of people facing constant danger, the destruction of their homes and towns, and the deaths of their relatives and friends. This book is not about battles. It is about personal experience.
We watch the emotions rise and fall of young Syrians fighting to cast off the brutal Assad regime. They begin with hope and then succumb to the violence and infighting and disappointment that follow. What begins with the oppressed rising up ends being co-opted by extremist groups and manipulated by outside states with vested interests. Abouzeid helps us understand the genesis and evolution of the Syrian war in a way that the headline news doesn’t. We look at it from the inside out rather than the outside in. Abouzeid was present at some of the events she describes and relied on the notes and memories of those she interviewed for the rest. She does not fictionalize to fill in the blanks. The presentation can seem fragmented, particularly as she presents her material chronologically showing how the war evolves. Thus we jump back and forth between individual stories making it a chore to keep track of the details especially each person’s friends, family and enemies. But the big picture of life in Syria is clear.
Why the war begins is easy to understand. Syria in 2011 was a police state and kleptocracy run by a small privileged minority. Those who objected soon found themselves in jail where they were tortured and frequently died. Pushed to the limit, the oppressed organized, but they all had different visions of the future. Some wanted a secular democratic government. Some wanted an Islamic state with varying interpretations of what that meant. The uprising which grew organically and spread rapidly devolved into numerous disparate groups without central leadership or political organization. The Free Syrian Army was a loosely organized group wanting democracy, but when it actually took over an area, it wasn’t prepared to control it. The area would become a lawless no-man’s land. This opened the door for al-Qaida linked groups and ultimately ISIS. They brought in foreign fighters with no connection to Syria. ISIS went in behind the Free Syrian Army and took over. The original Syrian dissidents ended up overwhelmed caught between Assad’s army and ISIS.
The brutality of the war stands out. Assad was merciless. His army blew up homes, essential businesses and whole towns to deprive people of a place to live. Who and how many died didn’t matter. He filled his prisons with people who were routinely tortured with no way out. One only had to be a suspect. Due process didn’t exist, although connections and bribe money could help. Abouzeid gives us detailed and extremely disturbing accounts of Assad’s prisons from people she knows and interviews who were fortunate enough to get out. Of course these practices brought revenge particularly from the family members of those lost in the prisons or to Assad’s widespread carnage. Abouzeid’s narrative depicts the very strong family ties in Syrian society. Syrians feel very close not only to their nuclear families but to aunts, uncles, cousins and their families as well. When any are harmed it is taken personally by all members of the extended family. Besides the Assad regime there was ISIS which was as brutal as Assad but perhaps more merciful in that they often shortened the torture by slicing off one’s head which they might send to one’s mother.
Abouzeid helped me get a better understanding of the conflict. Talking in terms of individuals rather than solely of organizations, armies, states, factions, religions or groups gives a different perspective. While the Assad regime, ISIS and other factions may have had grand goals, the Syrian people were just trying to extricate themselves from a situation that went from bad to hellish. It’s easy to understand why people would risk everything to migrate to Europe. They were risking their lives to stay. Some of the individuals Abouzeid covers do migrate. This can be a difficult book to read. The cruelty can be overwhelming, still I recommend it for those interested in what the Syrian war means in personal terms.
We watch the emotions rise and fall of young Syrians fighting to cast off the brutal Assad regime. They begin with hope and then succumb to the violence and infighting and disappointment that follow. What begins with the oppressed rising up ends being co-opted by extremist groups and manipulated by outside states with vested interests. Abouzeid helps us understand the genesis and evolution of the Syrian war in a way that the headline news doesn’t. We look at it from the inside out rather than the outside in. Abouzeid was present at some of the events she describes and relied on the notes and memories of those she interviewed for the rest. She does not fictionalize to fill in the blanks. The presentation can seem fragmented, particularly as she presents her material chronologically showing how the war evolves. Thus we jump back and forth between individual stories making it a chore to keep track of the details especially each person’s friends, family and enemies. But the big picture of life in Syria is clear.
Why the war begins is easy to understand. Syria in 2011 was a police state and kleptocracy run by a small privileged minority. Those who objected soon found themselves in jail where they were tortured and frequently died. Pushed to the limit, the oppressed organized, but they all had different visions of the future. Some wanted a secular democratic government. Some wanted an Islamic state with varying interpretations of what that meant. The uprising which grew organically and spread rapidly devolved into numerous disparate groups without central leadership or political organization. The Free Syrian Army was a loosely organized group wanting democracy, but when it actually took over an area, it wasn’t prepared to control it. The area would become a lawless no-man’s land. This opened the door for al-Qaida linked groups and ultimately ISIS. They brought in foreign fighters with no connection to Syria. ISIS went in behind the Free Syrian Army and took over. The original Syrian dissidents ended up overwhelmed caught between Assad’s army and ISIS.
The brutality of the war stands out. Assad was merciless. His army blew up homes, essential businesses and whole towns to deprive people of a place to live. Who and how many died didn’t matter. He filled his prisons with people who were routinely tortured with no way out. One only had to be a suspect. Due process didn’t exist, although connections and bribe money could help. Abouzeid gives us detailed and extremely disturbing accounts of Assad’s prisons from people she knows and interviews who were fortunate enough to get out. Of course these practices brought revenge particularly from the family members of those lost in the prisons or to Assad’s widespread carnage. Abouzeid’s narrative depicts the very strong family ties in Syrian society. Syrians feel very close not only to their nuclear families but to aunts, uncles, cousins and their families as well. When any are harmed it is taken personally by all members of the extended family. Besides the Assad regime there was ISIS which was as brutal as Assad but perhaps more merciful in that they often shortened the torture by slicing off one’s head which they might send to one’s mother.
Abouzeid helped me get a better understanding of the conflict. Talking in terms of individuals rather than solely of organizations, armies, states, factions, religions or groups gives a different perspective. While the Assad regime, ISIS and other factions may have had grand goals, the Syrian people were just trying to extricate themselves from a situation that went from bad to hellish. It’s easy to understand why people would risk everything to migrate to Europe. They were risking their lives to stay. Some of the individuals Abouzeid covers do migrate. This can be a difficult book to read. The cruelty can be overwhelming, still I recommend it for those interested in what the Syrian war means in personal terms.
May 5, 2018
Probably the best narrative nonfiction book written on the Syrian uprising to date, and the best about any war since Anand Gopal’s “No Good Men Among the Living”. The book interweaves the lives of a number of Syrians from different backgrounds, whose lived experiences make up a microcosm of the civil war as a whole. The author has language skills and intimate access to Syrians that puts her reporting above the vast majority of what has been written by others. I was also amazed by the incredible elegance of the writing, which was literature quality at times. Through the lives she follows the entire arc of the revolution is documented: civil uprising, war, prison, exile, radicalization and survival.
A must-read about Syria and the human condition during war generally. Even those who think that they are fatigued of hearing about this conflict owe it to themselves to give this book a look.
A must-read about Syria and the human condition during war generally. Even those who think that they are fatigued of hearing about this conflict owe it to themselves to give this book a look.
March 27, 2021
Page 219 (my book)
The family once again scurried to the basement accompanied by the hiss, whoosh, and boom of things exploding around them. “Why isn’t anyone helping us?” Noora screamed. “Why doesn’t anyone care?”
This book is first-rate journalism at a very human level. The stories of individual Syrian people coping with the disintegration of society gives us an emotional comprehension of the devastation in their country since 2011.
What started out as protests against the government stimulated by the “Arab Spring” became fragmented by the repressive Assad regime which wanted to maintain at any cost its grip on power. It let go from its prisons its’ Islamic fanatics so that they would go to Iraq to form an opposition that none in the exterior world community would support.
The democratic forces that initially opposed Assad disintegrated into ragtag militia forces and many succumbed to the Islamic fanatics that evolved into ISIS.
Page 214 Abu Azzam
“Our revolution was beautiful, but political money entered and dirtied it,” he said. “Now I must wear a fake smile, grit my teeth, and kiss the feet of donors and tell them they are the crowns on my head.”
The author gives us the story of Sulieman who was incarcerated and then tortured for taking part in protests. He goes through a horrible Orwellian prison system until he is final released with a pardon from Assad. He represents all in the Arab world who can be arbitrarily arrested for non-existent crimes. He ends up fleeing to Germany because he fears Assad’s security forces will use any excuse to round him up again. Sadly, given conditions in Syria, he will likely not be able to return to his homeland for years to come.
There are others who sadly yielded to the pull of Islamic fundamentalism and its code of Sharia. I felt the author risking her life when meeting with these people. Their world view is medieval, anti-liberal, and anti-woman.
Page 270 by 2015
Rebel held Syria had become like the Afghanistan of the 1980s: failed state territory, lawless, a magnet for foreign and local jihadists, for Al Qaeda, ISIS.
This book is about the personal struggles of individuals and their families – some trying to rebuild Syria from the ruins of a long war, others fleeing to Turkey or Europe to find safety. The author describes how various Middle Eastern countries have entered the fray – like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Lebanon pushing their own agenda and just adding complexities to the quagmire. Naturally Iran supports Assad, Russia supplies him with weapons and pilots. They all tried to eliminate ISIS, but none did much to stop Assad.
Page 312
What upset him [Abu Azzam] most was seeing the regime’s narrative playing out – that its opponents were all extremists, terrorists, and Assad the bulwark against them…Our regime [Assad] is focused on eliminating us, the moderate opposition, and it is the regime’s interest to surrender areas like Raqqa and Tabqa to tell the world, “Look at who is ruling it.”
By the author giving us individual narratives, we experience the Syrian war and all its horrid affects. There does not appear to be an end in sight.
The family once again scurried to the basement accompanied by the hiss, whoosh, and boom of things exploding around them. “Why isn’t anyone helping us?” Noora screamed. “Why doesn’t anyone care?”
This book is first-rate journalism at a very human level. The stories of individual Syrian people coping with the disintegration of society gives us an emotional comprehension of the devastation in their country since 2011.
What started out as protests against the government stimulated by the “Arab Spring” became fragmented by the repressive Assad regime which wanted to maintain at any cost its grip on power. It let go from its prisons its’ Islamic fanatics so that they would go to Iraq to form an opposition that none in the exterior world community would support.
The democratic forces that initially opposed Assad disintegrated into ragtag militia forces and many succumbed to the Islamic fanatics that evolved into ISIS.
Page 214 Abu Azzam
“Our revolution was beautiful, but political money entered and dirtied it,” he said. “Now I must wear a fake smile, grit my teeth, and kiss the feet of donors and tell them they are the crowns on my head.”
The author gives us the story of Sulieman who was incarcerated and then tortured for taking part in protests. He goes through a horrible Orwellian prison system until he is final released with a pardon from Assad. He represents all in the Arab world who can be arbitrarily arrested for non-existent crimes. He ends up fleeing to Germany because he fears Assad’s security forces will use any excuse to round him up again. Sadly, given conditions in Syria, he will likely not be able to return to his homeland for years to come.
There are others who sadly yielded to the pull of Islamic fundamentalism and its code of Sharia. I felt the author risking her life when meeting with these people. Their world view is medieval, anti-liberal, and anti-woman.
Page 270 by 2015
Rebel held Syria had become like the Afghanistan of the 1980s: failed state territory, lawless, a magnet for foreign and local jihadists, for Al Qaeda, ISIS.
This book is about the personal struggles of individuals and their families – some trying to rebuild Syria from the ruins of a long war, others fleeing to Turkey or Europe to find safety. The author describes how various Middle Eastern countries have entered the fray – like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Lebanon pushing their own agenda and just adding complexities to the quagmire. Naturally Iran supports Assad, Russia supplies him with weapons and pilots. They all tried to eliminate ISIS, but none did much to stop Assad.
Page 312
What upset him [Abu Azzam] most was seeing the regime’s narrative playing out – that its opponents were all extremists, terrorists, and Assad the bulwark against them…Our regime [Assad] is focused on eliminating us, the moderate opposition, and it is the regime’s interest to surrender areas like Raqqa and Tabqa to tell the world, “Look at who is ruling it.”
By the author giving us individual narratives, we experience the Syrian war and all its horrid affects. There does not appear to be an end in sight.
December 2, 2020
Gritty, honest, personal, intimate, clear-eyed look at events leading up to and involving the Syrian civil war, told by a journalist with access to a number of activists and their families. The story moves back and forth between the activists as they negotiate the increasingly dire and deadly turn of events. More than simply a history, this is a look at what the civil war felt like "on the ground," by people often too caught up in the swell of events to make sense of where it all would lead. I learned a lot by way of this book, and I found it chilling too--because in this tale I could see what the seeds of civil discord in my own country might well sprout into.
November 10, 2018
This book tells the story of the Syrian Civil War through portraits of Syrians. Author is an Arabic speaking journalist who was able to win the confidence her subjects. The interviews show the life before the war, the person’s role in the war and their reflections on it 6-7 years into it.
It starts and ends with a businessman whose family benefited from the rule of Bashar al-Assad. Through Suleiman you learn the horrors of Assad’s prisons and how their conditions conflict with the regime’s descriptions. Through others you see how the people’s protest for more rights was co-opted by the Islamists, the role of the Free Syrian Army and the divisions of the Al Qaeda and ISIS fighters. The book does not cover the supporters of Assad or how the regime internationalized its side of the war.
The most interesting portraits, to me, were those of Ruha, a 9 year old who becomes a teenager in this period, Talal, an Alowite depressed over the loss of his family and his hostage-held daughter, and the update of Saleh living underground in Germany and is relieved to bus tables while reflecting on the horrors he saw and abetted.
There are the sad stories of people returning to their uninhabitable homes, attending mass funerals and burials, escaping to Turkey, and describing how the war affected families and individuals.
The economy is baffling. With nothing being produced and so much destroyed, where are the resources coming from? How does Talah have a perfume business in the midst of war? Ruha’s family has a farm, but there is little mention of the work or the crops. Although they lost a home and travel back and forth to Turkey they seem unconcerned about money. Her father somehow acquires the resources to build a factory. How does Suleiman keep his money throughout his prison stay (with all the thievery and graft, did the guards really keep it for him?) His family continues to have the money to support him. It seems that along the border there are whole communities of Syrians springing up. They are not living in camps.
This may be as close as lay people can get to understanding the conflict from the perspective of the everyday Syrian. The conflict started with peaceful protests in hopes of more democracy only to have local battles became the stage for others fighting larger conflicts.
The table of names at the beginning is helpful; an index would have been even better so that it would be easy to trace the minor profiles. There are no photos.
It starts and ends with a businessman whose family benefited from the rule of Bashar al-Assad. Through Suleiman you learn the horrors of Assad’s prisons and how their conditions conflict with the regime’s descriptions. Through others you see how the people’s protest for more rights was co-opted by the Islamists, the role of the Free Syrian Army and the divisions of the Al Qaeda and ISIS fighters. The book does not cover the supporters of Assad or how the regime internationalized its side of the war.
The most interesting portraits, to me, were those of Ruha, a 9 year old who becomes a teenager in this period, Talal, an Alowite depressed over the loss of his family and his hostage-held daughter, and the update of Saleh living underground in Germany and is relieved to bus tables while reflecting on the horrors he saw and abetted.
There are the sad stories of people returning to their uninhabitable homes, attending mass funerals and burials, escaping to Turkey, and describing how the war affected families and individuals.
The economy is baffling. With nothing being produced and so much destroyed, where are the resources coming from? How does Talah have a perfume business in the midst of war? Ruha’s family has a farm, but there is little mention of the work or the crops. Although they lost a home and travel back and forth to Turkey they seem unconcerned about money. Her father somehow acquires the resources to build a factory. How does Suleiman keep his money throughout his prison stay (with all the thievery and graft, did the guards really keep it for him?) His family continues to have the money to support him. It seems that along the border there are whole communities of Syrians springing up. They are not living in camps.
This may be as close as lay people can get to understanding the conflict from the perspective of the everyday Syrian. The conflict started with peaceful protests in hopes of more democracy only to have local battles became the stage for others fighting larger conflicts.
The table of names at the beginning is helpful; an index would have been even better so that it would be easy to trace the minor profiles. There are no photos.
October 9, 2019
This is no easy read. Like most Americans, I have only a cursory familiarity with the history and culture of Syria, much less the place names and human names. Trying to keep track of each character and the events was daunting, until I realized that detail was not essential to understanding the story of the tragedy that is modern Syria. It is a book that should be read for that story alone. The suffering of Syrians will be a worldwide issue for years, if not generations, to come. This book puts human faces on that suffering.
January 13, 2018
A very brave Arabic-speaking journalist followed Syrians -- families, poets, activists, politicians, Islamists, soldiers -- for six years, as their country blew up. She gives plenty of context, takes no sides, and lets them speak. This is the book on Syria I'd recommend to anyone who wants to understand what's been happening there.
February 13, 2019
The war is still ongoing in Syria, in some pockets of the country. It is therefore an enormous challenge to write about this complex conflict without the benefit of hindsight. However, I believe that Rania Abouzeid did an absolutely amazing job at providing some key reference points for the reader to navigate through this all consuming at times contradictory period. She does so by detailing the day to day experience of Syrian war through the eyes of selected individuals, some very young some mature and some old, whom she follows through a period of at least 5 years if not longer (2010 to 2016/7), weaving a web of continuous narratives of specific men and women that over the years become familiar to the reader, and a prism through which they can understand the various factions and events on the ground. Not an easy feat in an ever changing war landscape. Daughters, fighters, rebels, government army defectors, refugees, imprisoned civilians, etc. For the first time, I have a sense of what the various factions are or were in Syria, a first albeit I am sure incomplete unravelling of what happened just a few miles from our shores. The humanity and the total respect of the individuals she demonstrates are a testament to her attempt at giving the world a first-hand account of what happened for some people in Syria. Some people on here have criticised her for writing at length about fighters involved with IS. But she also interviewed pro Assad individuals, Free Syrian Army fighters, and many more from other fighting groups within the country. She does not hold back in the description of the gruesome violence of torture and sheer murder that the Syrian people were subjected to from all sides.
It is difficult at times to keep track of the many factions involved as there are so many of them, and I cannot even begin to understand how hard it must have been to sift through all the details and stories across 7 years. Scenes of complete humanity and total destruction juxtapose. And a wish for restoration and restitution. I think it is impossible to say that this work is the whole truth, but she proves to the reader that this is somebody's truth. The desire of freedom from dictatorship is how the conflict started off, a spring revolution quickly hijacked by other religious and non religious groups and political agendas. Watching scenes of conflict even this week on TV, there is no doubt that the initial impetus for change that came from the people was totally overridden by proxy wars - Turks against Kurds, Russian incursions, US bombing, religious fanaticism. In the end, there are absolutely no winners. But a message of hope prevails in the new lives of the many incarcerated who managed to rebuild and move on, whether in Syria or not. However, the death toll and the psychological burden will be with us for many decades to come. A great piece of writing. Perhaps an initial piece of the puzzle that in future might shed some light on a conflict that not many people have understood.
It is difficult at times to keep track of the many factions involved as there are so many of them, and I cannot even begin to understand how hard it must have been to sift through all the details and stories across 7 years. Scenes of complete humanity and total destruction juxtapose. And a wish for restoration and restitution. I think it is impossible to say that this work is the whole truth, but she proves to the reader that this is somebody's truth. The desire of freedom from dictatorship is how the conflict started off, a spring revolution quickly hijacked by other religious and non religious groups and political agendas. Watching scenes of conflict even this week on TV, there is no doubt that the initial impetus for change that came from the people was totally overridden by proxy wars - Turks against Kurds, Russian incursions, US bombing, religious fanaticism. In the end, there are absolutely no winners. But a message of hope prevails in the new lives of the many incarcerated who managed to rebuild and move on, whether in Syria or not. However, the death toll and the psychological burden will be with us for many decades to come. A great piece of writing. Perhaps an initial piece of the puzzle that in future might shed some light on a conflict that not many people have understood.
June 19, 2018
This book should be considered essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the war in Syria. Perhaps no other non-Syrian journalist has had the access and put in as much depth of research as Rania Abouzeid, a Lebanese-Australian journalist who has been covering the war from the beginning of the uprising, from inside and outside Syria. The book weaves together the narratives of several of the characters she met in that time, including an opposition activist jailed by the regime, a nine-year-old girl whose family flees the bombs in Saraqeb for Turkey, an Alawite whose wife and children were kidnapped by rebels, an al Nusra leader. While the majority of the reporting was done by necessity in rebel-controlled areas, as Abouzeid was branded a spy by the regime and banned from government-controlled Syria, she does her utmost to present a full and accurate picture of events, detailing the abuses and excesses both of the regime and of the various armed groups. In particular, her account of the rise of ISIS and al Nusra and the eventual splintering and fighting between the groups is illuminating, and her account of the characters involved in the groups lays out their views and motivations dispassionately, humanizing them without glorifying them. While focusing on personal stories, the book lays out the bigger picture as well, including the role of the various external actors in the conflict and the tensions between and within the secular and Islamist strains of the Syrian opposition.
The book offers some hope for humanity in its detailing of the strength that people find to bear and survive the most extreme of circumstances. But it does not offer a great deal of hope for Syria as a nation. What it shows, in deeply researched and painstaking detail, is a society that has been shattered perhaps beyond any hope of repair in our lifetimes. The "happy ending" that some of the characters find in eventual escape to Europe is nevertheless a life of exile from which there will likely be no return.
But if there is eventually to be hope for some form of reconciliation, it's essential to understand how the conflict arose and developed. Abouzeid has done incredibly important work in helping to advance that understanding for anyone willing to put in the time to read this book.
The book offers some hope for humanity in its detailing of the strength that people find to bear and survive the most extreme of circumstances. But it does not offer a great deal of hope for Syria as a nation. What it shows, in deeply researched and painstaking detail, is a society that has been shattered perhaps beyond any hope of repair in our lifetimes. The "happy ending" that some of the characters find in eventual escape to Europe is nevertheless a life of exile from which there will likely be no return.
But if there is eventually to be hope for some form of reconciliation, it's essential to understand how the conflict arose and developed. Abouzeid has done incredibly important work in helping to advance that understanding for anyone willing to put in the time to read this book.
March 19, 2018
Let them be eaten alive.
Child is War
It is counterintuitive in working towards the goal of preserving a race,
to instruct children to hide when threatened,
because when they reemerge,
there will be a new oppression,
the orphans chant at the enemy, "Let them be eaten alive."
Chris Roberts, God to the Mentally Unhinged (Shell Shocked)
Child is War
It is counterintuitive in working towards the goal of preserving a race,
to instruct children to hide when threatened,
because when they reemerge,
there will be a new oppression,
the orphans chant at the enemy, "Let them be eaten alive."
Chris Roberts, God to the Mentally Unhinged (Shell Shocked)
February 19, 2022
Jeg tror dette egentlig er en veldig god bok, men det er noe med måten forfatteren skriver på som ikke fungerer for meg. Etter de fleste kapitlene tok jeg meg selv i å tenke "Hæ? Hva skjedde nå?", som er veldig synd. For noen kapitler er knallbra, som feks historien om 9 år gamle Ruha sin flukt over den tyrkiske grensen, eller kapitlet om Suleiman opplevelse av torturkamrene til regimet.
Som sagt, det er nok en bra bok, bare ikke for meg.
Som sagt, det er nok en bra bok, bare ikke for meg.
March 1, 2020
The Syrian civil war began in March of 2011 as an outgrowth of Arab Spring protests erupting throughout the Middle East. Freelance journalist Rania Abouzeid began clandestinely interviewing Syrians from various factions and documenting their stories. Her stated goal was “not to judge, and not to turn characters into caricatures, but to present information about an individual’s motivations, worldview, and actions to help readers understand him or her and arrive at their own conclusions.” She included two important references, first, a detailed map of Syria’s fourteen provinces and key cities, and second, a cast of characters grouped by both region and allegiance. The key to understanding the problem in Syria is to know the differences between the three main groups in the war. First, the Ba’athist regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is complicated by the fact that he is a member of the Alawite minority (10%) within Syria. The Alawites “follow a syncretic religion, a very distant offshoot of Shiite Islam,” one which both Sunni (more than 70% in Syria) and Shiite (Iran’s majority religion) consider to be heretical. However, al-Assad is more closely aligned to, and supported by, Iranian Shiites (Hizballah), and is known for brutally suppressing dissent within Syria. Second, resistance to al-Assad led to the formation of the Free Syrian Army, with the Farouq Battalions being the strongest units. Combatants included both disgruntled civilians and defectors from al-Assad’s army and air force, mostly Sunni. The third main faction in the conflict is ISIS (Nusra), a Sunni group who dreams of a borderless Levant (ad-Dawla, “The State”) and imposition of Sharia law. ISIS and Al-Qaeda share many of the same goals, though differing in tactics. Unlike Al-Qaeda, ISIS has no qualms about killing Muslims with whom they disagree, especially Alawites and Shiites. These three factions are the basis for both the conflict as well as the progression of personalized stories collected in this book. However Abouzeid’s work is not a dry history lesson. Rather, it is a compilation of heartbreaking, horrendous, and riveting personal accounts of individuals who have been caught up in the struggle. I highly recommend this amazing work for anyone who is perplexed by this complicated war, one that has been deemed the second deadliest conflict of the 21st century.
May 8, 2018
Abouzeid did kind of an amazing job explaining the incredibly complex subject that is the Syrian conflict (war, genocide, events, civil wars, revolutions?) -- see I don't even know what to call it and she wrote a book about it!
Anyway, there are a lot of Arabic names and places and it all kind of jumbles in my English speaking Western brain, but Abouzeid followed a handful of key people from all sides and by interweaving their personal stories also told a larger story. She gave the same treatment to the story of an al Qaeda terrorist as she did to a young girl who was a victim of war, which took amazing writing skills, but also gave a more clear picture of the complex forces at play and took any kind of political, national or religious agenda off the table. As a journalist, she is a force to be reckoned with.
The Syrian conflict scares me more than ever -- the radicalization of a revolution, the global political intrigue (which only hurts the common people), the fact that at times al Qaeda seems to be the most rational actor. (Yes, I just typed that -- what has happened and is happening in Syria is unbelievable, just unbelievable). I think this is an important read for the U.S. as we really have *no* understanding of Middle East politics.
Some chapters I had to push through because it was confusing, but overall this was a fascinating and terrifying read. Literally ripped from the headlines.
Anyway, there are a lot of Arabic names and places and it all kind of jumbles in my English speaking Western brain, but Abouzeid followed a handful of key people from all sides and by interweaving their personal stories also told a larger story. She gave the same treatment to the story of an al Qaeda terrorist as she did to a young girl who was a victim of war, which took amazing writing skills, but also gave a more clear picture of the complex forces at play and took any kind of political, national or religious agenda off the table. As a journalist, she is a force to be reckoned with.
The Syrian conflict scares me more than ever -- the radicalization of a revolution, the global political intrigue (which only hurts the common people), the fact that at times al Qaeda seems to be the most rational actor. (Yes, I just typed that -- what has happened and is happening in Syria is unbelievable, just unbelievable). I think this is an important read for the U.S. as we really have *no* understanding of Middle East politics.
Some chapters I had to push through because it was confusing, but overall this was a fascinating and terrifying read. Literally ripped from the headlines.
October 28, 2019
A fascinating book that tells of life in wartime Syria through the voices of several different Syrians including a young girl whose family life was disrupted by the revolution, both violent and non-violent revolutionaries, a privileged young professional whose eyes were opened to the injustices abounding under the Regime of al-Assad and others. It was eye-opening to hear about a way of life so different than my own, and so uncertain. We are blessed to live on land that has not seen war for so many years; I pray that this will continue an that our leaders will be guided to make wise decisions to protect the liberties that we take so much for granted.
Suleiman (after 2 years,27 days, 11 hours in prison for participating and supporting protests against the al-Assad regime) reunited with his parents, but not in the home he grew up in
"He wasn't in Raaston, that house had be destroyed, but his parents were his home."
" "I refused to be broke by them." Suleimon emerged from is ordeal without bitterness, without regret and free of hate. He chose to let go of a heavy emotional burden that would only harm him. It was perhaps his greatest act of freedom to chose how to respond to those who had taken most of his other freedoms. He did not forgive them but refused to continue being their victim."
Suleiman (after 2 years,27 days, 11 hours in prison for participating and supporting protests against the al-Assad regime) reunited with his parents, but not in the home he grew up in
"He wasn't in Raaston, that house had be destroyed, but his parents were his home."
" "I refused to be broke by them." Suleimon emerged from is ordeal without bitterness, without regret and free of hate. He chose to let go of a heavy emotional burden that would only harm him. It was perhaps his greatest act of freedom to chose how to respond to those who had taken most of his other freedoms. He did not forgive them but refused to continue being their victim."
June 29, 2018
This is a tough one for me to review. The subject matter is hard - rage-inducing, heartbreaking, nauseating. What the Syrians people have gone through in the last decade is absolutely appalling, and the failures of the international community to help in any meaningful way are shameful. I don’t think you can read this and not be horrified, angered, or gutted.
Unfortunately, in addition to the difficult subject, the writing is textbook-dry. I had to switch to audiobook because I struggled to focus and pay attention to the print. These stories are so important that it’s a shame they are written so coldly.
I’ve seen criticism that the author did not interview pro-Assad Syrians and so this is not a balanced narrative of the Syrian Civil War and refugee crisis. She does speak to people who state they aren’t anti-regime, but want change. She does speak to people who are not part of terrorist groups and aren’t seeking an Islamist state. But, no, she doesn’t interview anyone who spouts pro-Assad propaganda. To those critics, I say that I don’t need to have conversations with enthusiastic Trump supporters to know that he’s a terrible president, inflicting great harm on the US. Assad used chemical weapons on his citizens. That’s enough for me to condemn him.
Unfortunately, in addition to the difficult subject, the writing is textbook-dry. I had to switch to audiobook because I struggled to focus and pay attention to the print. These stories are so important that it’s a shame they are written so coldly.
I’ve seen criticism that the author did not interview pro-Assad Syrians and so this is not a balanced narrative of the Syrian Civil War and refugee crisis. She does speak to people who state they aren’t anti-regime, but want change. She does speak to people who are not part of terrorist groups and aren’t seeking an Islamist state. But, no, she doesn’t interview anyone who spouts pro-Assad propaganda. To those critics, I say that I don’t need to have conversations with enthusiastic Trump supporters to know that he’s a terrible president, inflicting great harm on the US. Assad used chemical weapons on his citizens. That’s enough for me to condemn him.
March 20, 2018
Reading this book it is difficult not to be reminded about (propaganda) stories of Iraqi soldiers pulling babies from incubators, as well as the Libya's and Yemen's destruction by foreign intervention. Millions of Syrians suffered from this proxy war but Rania's account is sadly one sided. It is unclear whether she was compelled to use that one sided narrative in order to be embraced by western media and institutions. The author reported only from areas known to have been under the control of al Qaeda affiliates and other Jihadists groups hailing from 65 countries. She used the same huge porous border with Turkey, same route used by terrorists as a supply line of terrorists and weapons. This is also the same route used by other MSM journalists such as CNN's Clarissa Ward and Arwa Damon, this where one has to be suspicion that this is part of a propaganda campaign by the regime change cabal. The other side of the story is that civilians in Jihadist controlled areas are hostages and victims of Jihadists thugs and mercenaries funded by a regime change cabal.
March 5, 2018
I want to thank the Goodreads Giveaway program as well as the W.W. Norton Co. for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
If you want to know the story of Current day Syria, this book is a good place to start. Rania Abouzeid has done a great job taking you through from the peaceful demonstrations of early 2011, to the crackdowns and the Civil War itself. What makes this book, is that she does not do her reporting at the 10.000FT. Level, she lets the Syrian people tell the story.
Through many voices you get you get the feel of protesting against an authoritarian regime. You then go onto the fighting, against not only the government; but also the internal struggles between factions w/in the opposition. The refugee issue, and just trying to stay alive is known, and at the end: What Now and how does it End?
Obviously not for everyone, but for those who want a pulse on the Middle East (or a part of) this is it.
If you want to know the story of Current day Syria, this book is a good place to start. Rania Abouzeid has done a great job taking you through from the peaceful demonstrations of early 2011, to the crackdowns and the Civil War itself. What makes this book, is that she does not do her reporting at the 10.000FT. Level, she lets the Syrian people tell the story.
Through many voices you get you get the feel of protesting against an authoritarian regime. You then go onto the fighting, against not only the government; but also the internal struggles between factions w/in the opposition. The refugee issue, and just trying to stay alive is known, and at the end: What Now and how does it End?
Obviously not for everyone, but for those who want a pulse on the Middle East (or a part of) this is it.
August 29, 2021
Rania Abouzeid has made an attempt to depict the Syrian civil war right from the uprising in 2011 to 2018 and I must say that the book is beautifully written which gives the perspective of all the parties involved in the war.
Rania has tried to depict the war through the eyes of several parties involved - a common man named as Suleiman Tlass Farzat, Abu Azzam - fourth year university student who goes on to form and become commander of the Free Syrian Army [Farooq Brigade], Ruha a nine year old girl and Mohammad who is the commander of Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.
While the local civilians are trying to topple the current regime of Bashar al-Assad their war is later on hijacked by Al-Qaeda [call them mujahideen or jihadists] and other global powers like Russia, Saudi, and US to drive their own agenda.
The ammunition and weapons are provided by Saudi and Western country to FSA to fight the war. The local Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda known as Jabhat al-Nusra is led by Mohammad al-Jolani and the Iraq arm of Al-Qaeda (ISI- Islamic State of Iraq) is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Initially the Syrian arm is taking orders from Iraq arm but from the time Nusra becomes self funded in Syria[by looting local banks and selling assets], it stops taking orders from Baghdadi which creates a conflict between them and they involve their Al-Qaeda leader from Afghanistan. This incidence goes on to prove that the wings are inter connected all over the world and are spreading hate and terrorism in the name of religion.
The Farouq Brigades took support and weapons from whoever offered it - donations, Syrians, sheikhs in the Gulf, the Saudis, the Qataris, the Europeans, the Turks but they were not aligned to ideologies of any party. They had their own definition of Islam and Free Syria.
The main war is fought between the current regime of Syria who belongs to Alwaite sect of Shiite Muslims and the civilians of Syria. Later on the war is joined by Al-Qaeda, ISIS US, Russia, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Such is the irony of this war that all these parties who joins the war latter on has nothing to do with the current regime or liberation of local civilians, they are here to drive their own agenda whether its Al-Qaeda, US, Saudis or Russia. Al-Qaeda and ISIS wants Syrians to follow their definition of radical Islam. US, Russia and Saudi are fighting a proxy war so that they can later on appoint their heads to drive their agenda.
Excerpts from the book clearly goes on to prove this -
In an August trip to Istanbul, then–Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with a group of
Syrian civil activists in a bid to understand who was who on the ground. “She said, ‘We want you to tell us who we should deal with and who we should avoid,’” one participant said. “I laughed. I swear I laughed. Can you imagine the US secretary of state saying that to a small group of activists,
most of whom are under twenty-five? The US has no idea.”
Rania has used the word 'hope' in the title of the book but looks unlikely now that the civil upspring has taken form of proxy war for the global superpowers will stop any time soon. Who knows, they don't want it to stop. In a war torn country, local civilians still has hope and I sincerely wish their hope comes true and I really feel for little kids like 'Ruha'. They have every right to leave a normal life like our kids.
The beautiful graffiti on the walls of Syria goes on to say that they are full of hope. Here it goes,
AND WE LOVE LIFE, IF WE FIND A WAY TO IT.
THE BEST OF HISTORY IS WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW.
I must say that Rania has done a wonderful work by writing this book which makes it easy for one to understand the complicated situation in Syria with so many parties involved . This is despite the fact that several arrest warrant are issued against her by the Syrian government and she is banned from entering Syria any more.
Rania has tried to depict the war through the eyes of several parties involved - a common man named as Suleiman Tlass Farzat, Abu Azzam - fourth year university student who goes on to form and become commander of the Free Syrian Army [Farooq Brigade], Ruha a nine year old girl and Mohammad who is the commander of Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.
While the local civilians are trying to topple the current regime of Bashar al-Assad their war is later on hijacked by Al-Qaeda [call them mujahideen or jihadists] and other global powers like Russia, Saudi, and US to drive their own agenda.
The ammunition and weapons are provided by Saudi and Western country to FSA to fight the war. The local Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda known as Jabhat al-Nusra is led by Mohammad al-Jolani and the Iraq arm of Al-Qaeda (ISI- Islamic State of Iraq) is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Initially the Syrian arm is taking orders from Iraq arm but from the time Nusra becomes self funded in Syria[by looting local banks and selling assets], it stops taking orders from Baghdadi which creates a conflict between them and they involve their Al-Qaeda leader from Afghanistan. This incidence goes on to prove that the wings are inter connected all over the world and are spreading hate and terrorism in the name of religion.
The Farouq Brigades took support and weapons from whoever offered it - donations, Syrians, sheikhs in the Gulf, the Saudis, the Qataris, the Europeans, the Turks but they were not aligned to ideologies of any party. They had their own definition of Islam and Free Syria.
The main war is fought between the current regime of Syria who belongs to Alwaite sect of Shiite Muslims and the civilians of Syria. Later on the war is joined by Al-Qaeda, ISIS US, Russia, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Such is the irony of this war that all these parties who joins the war latter on has nothing to do with the current regime or liberation of local civilians, they are here to drive their own agenda whether its Al-Qaeda, US, Saudis or Russia. Al-Qaeda and ISIS wants Syrians to follow their definition of radical Islam. US, Russia and Saudi are fighting a proxy war so that they can later on appoint their heads to drive their agenda.
Excerpts from the book clearly goes on to prove this -
In an August trip to Istanbul, then–Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with a group of
Syrian civil activists in a bid to understand who was who on the ground. “She said, ‘We want you to tell us who we should deal with and who we should avoid,’” one participant said. “I laughed. I swear I laughed. Can you imagine the US secretary of state saying that to a small group of activists,
most of whom are under twenty-five? The US has no idea.”
Rania has used the word 'hope' in the title of the book but looks unlikely now that the civil upspring has taken form of proxy war for the global superpowers will stop any time soon. Who knows, they don't want it to stop. In a war torn country, local civilians still has hope and I sincerely wish their hope comes true and I really feel for little kids like 'Ruha'. They have every right to leave a normal life like our kids.
The beautiful graffiti on the walls of Syria goes on to say that they are full of hope. Here it goes,
AND WE LOVE LIFE, IF WE FIND A WAY TO IT.
THE BEST OF HISTORY IS WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW.
I must say that Rania has done a wonderful work by writing this book which makes it easy for one to understand the complicated situation in Syria with so many parties involved . This is despite the fact that several arrest warrant are issued against her by the Syrian government and she is banned from entering Syria any more.
August 15, 2025
This book is an amalgamation of stories collected by Rania Abouzeid on the ground in Syria 2011-2016. She follows people from all parts of Syria and walks of life, to include members of ISIS and Al Qaeda, and men imprisoned by the regime.
Abouzeid herself appears in the book every once in a while, suddenly speaking in the first person, “we met here” and “he handed me this,” and then receding back into the role of narration. It gave me a huge amount of respect for her, her passion, and her courage. It also made it much easier to understand all of the different efforts and components of the conflict in Syria, because you associate people you now know a little bit about with each group.
Bashar Al Assad sows religious fear to consolidate his control; the regime starts putting down revolutionaries. Revolutionaries, in the fervor of the Arab Spring, protest under austere and violent conditions. Fighting breaks out - it is a true political revolution against an authoritarian regime. The revolutionaries go to foreign governments for arms and financial support, which ultimately gives control to the international community, muddying revolutionary efforts. Another effect is that a Syrian arm of Al Qaeda, and eventually, a separate group of foreigners, ISIS, all become flush with cash and start vying for power. Revolutionaries and Jabhat al Nusra (Syrian branch of Al Qaeda) and ISIS are killing each other and seizing territory from each other while the regime bombs them all. The regime bombs and imprisons civilians, too. Mainly that.
It seems that when a competition filters for the most ruthless group, the ignorant always triumph over the thoughtful. There’s a point in the book where even religious extremists are dissatisfied because the Islamic State is no longer following the Quran; members of Al Qaeda are suddenly dissatisfied with the ‘ignorant.’ Classic.
This book’s main lessons are: Islamic extremism doesn’t work as a political tool, globalization stifles revolutions, America probably won’t help you, and prisons help extremists, not the other way around.
Favorite quotes:
“… abandoned by an international community learning Syrian geography with each new atrocity.”
“Despair can sharpen religiosity. Blood and desperation and trauma can radicalize it.”
“Within weeks, the Arab League suspended its mission. Syria was too dangerous for peace.”
Abouzeid herself appears in the book every once in a while, suddenly speaking in the first person, “we met here” and “he handed me this,” and then receding back into the role of narration. It gave me a huge amount of respect for her, her passion, and her courage. It also made it much easier to understand all of the different efforts and components of the conflict in Syria, because you associate people you now know a little bit about with each group.
Bashar Al Assad sows religious fear to consolidate his control; the regime starts putting down revolutionaries. Revolutionaries, in the fervor of the Arab Spring, protest under austere and violent conditions. Fighting breaks out - it is a true political revolution against an authoritarian regime. The revolutionaries go to foreign governments for arms and financial support, which ultimately gives control to the international community, muddying revolutionary efforts. Another effect is that a Syrian arm of Al Qaeda, and eventually, a separate group of foreigners, ISIS, all become flush with cash and start vying for power. Revolutionaries and Jabhat al Nusra (Syrian branch of Al Qaeda) and ISIS are killing each other and seizing territory from each other while the regime bombs them all. The regime bombs and imprisons civilians, too. Mainly that.
It seems that when a competition filters for the most ruthless group, the ignorant always triumph over the thoughtful. There’s a point in the book where even religious extremists are dissatisfied because the Islamic State is no longer following the Quran; members of Al Qaeda are suddenly dissatisfied with the ‘ignorant.’ Classic.
This book’s main lessons are: Islamic extremism doesn’t work as a political tool, globalization stifles revolutions, America probably won’t help you, and prisons help extremists, not the other way around.
Favorite quotes:
“… abandoned by an international community learning Syrian geography with each new atrocity.”
“Despair can sharpen religiosity. Blood and desperation and trauma can radicalize it.”
“Within weeks, the Arab League suspended its mission. Syria was too dangerous for peace.”
February 22, 2019
This is an incredible book. Almost unbelievable how Rania Abouzeid has been able to get in contact with those key actors, gain their trust and be able to visit them and follow them throughout all these years. In extremely volatile and dangerous conditions, she has been sneaking in and out of Syria, on all sides, including extremist groups, without really getting into trouble. A miracle. At times I found it awkward to realize the author was there, when writing in the first person, in the midst of war events. Abouzeid’s remarkable journalistic and literary work truly is an incredible achievement.
The book itself is very well written, and allows the reader to feel and experience the struggle and the pain of the different protagonists. Abouzeid brings a hard but nuanced account of what happened on the ground, of how the peaceful and progressive protest got hijacked by islamists and the roles played by the regime and the international community. The book gives profound understanding of how people are finally attracted to extremist groups, of how they are forced to flee Syria and some end up in Europe.
A must read!
The book itself is very well written, and allows the reader to feel and experience the struggle and the pain of the different protagonists. Abouzeid brings a hard but nuanced account of what happened on the ground, of how the peaceful and progressive protest got hijacked by islamists and the roles played by the regime and the international community. The book gives profound understanding of how people are finally attracted to extremist groups, of how they are forced to flee Syria and some end up in Europe.
A must read!
January 12, 2021
A gritty, harsh look at the realities and complexities of the revolution/uprising/war in Syria that began in 2011 and how it radically changed (or ended) the lives of millions of its citizens. The competing roles of cultural principals, morality, faith and the desire for freedom made this such a complex battlefield, and the author truly was on the ground observing it all unfold, so she was able to tell the story of the war through the experiences of a few individuals that are representative of the many she interviewed. The most compelling story to me was Suleman's, who started the revolution as an upper middle-class class man wearing designer clothes and taking a woman he was interested in out on a date, but who became a prisoner of war in his own nation and ultimately a refugee from that nation, losing everything.
March 30, 2021
This book is so unique. It's an antidote to the sanitised, simplified reporting of this war and others. It provides real human stories. And with them all the nuance and complications of real life. Each story illustrates without judgement that every person has their individualised journey that will lead them to different actions.
May 3, 2018
No Turning Back book gives a human element to the countless news stories, analyses, reports and documentaries I have watched and read since the Syrian Revolution started in 2011. Abouzeid tells the story of the revolution turned Islamic insurgency from almost all relevant angles (my one criticism is that there was no mention of the Kurds in the book). That said I cannot fault the author for the bravery she has showed in finding and telling these stories. As she notes in the afterward and throughout the book, Abouzeid entered war-torn Syria multiple times and put herself in dangerous places to gather the data. I thought she gave human stories and also some of the geopolitical information about the revolution in an effective manner.
The spectrum of characters includes:
Ruha - a 9 year-old girl whose father helped finance the revolution from the town of Saraqeb which was heavily shelled by the regime.
Suleiman - a 20-something rich kid turned revolutionary who spends years in Assad's prisons
Abu Azzam - a commander in the Free Syrian Army, disillusioned with the infighting on his side and the Islamic takeover of the revolution.
Mohammad - islamic revolutionary and member of Jabhart al-Nusra, the branch of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and Syria
Saleh - truly radical Islamist from ISIS
The chapters are an interspersing of their stories from 2011 through late 2017. Some of their stories overlap and Abouzeid does a good job with weaving them together. I recommend to anyone looking to learn more about Syria today, past the talking heads we get on US television.
The spectrum of characters includes:
Ruha - a 9 year-old girl whose father helped finance the revolution from the town of Saraqeb which was heavily shelled by the regime.
Suleiman - a 20-something rich kid turned revolutionary who spends years in Assad's prisons
Abu Azzam - a commander in the Free Syrian Army, disillusioned with the infighting on his side and the Islamic takeover of the revolution.
Mohammad - islamic revolutionary and member of Jabhart al-Nusra, the branch of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and Syria
Saleh - truly radical Islamist from ISIS
The chapters are an interspersing of their stories from 2011 through late 2017. Some of their stories overlap and Abouzeid does a good job with weaving them together. I recommend to anyone looking to learn more about Syria today, past the talking heads we get on US television.
July 17, 2019
In the author’s note, Abouzeid says that if nothing else, she hopes she has conveyed that the people chronicled in this book from all sides of the Syrian war/uprising/crisis/“events” from 2011 to 2017 are “three-dimensional human beings.” She has done exactly that.
“Despair can sharpen religiosity. Blood and desperation and trauma can radicalize it.”
I felt so much sadness and longing reading this book. If only Assad’s regime would have reformed back in the early days, so much loss and destruction could have been avoided. If only the Free Army would have focused more on the civilian side of Syria’s needs rather than wholly focusing on a military rebellion, maybe the radical factions like IS or Nusra wouldn’t have gained as much of a foothold. If only the US and other foreign powers would have been more principled, trustworthy, organized, and humble, maybe we could have helped those who were truly our allies in peace and democracy. Maybe we still can, even if simply by showing kindness to refugees.
I also felt the hope and resilience of survivors, and even some faith that those who died for their country and freedom for future generations did not do so in vain. As was painted on a wall in Saraqeb after the people peacefully drove IS out of the city in July 2017, “Say to those who try to destroy us that the beauty of our souls cannot be defeated.”
“Despair can sharpen religiosity. Blood and desperation and trauma can radicalize it.”
I felt so much sadness and longing reading this book. If only Assad’s regime would have reformed back in the early days, so much loss and destruction could have been avoided. If only the Free Army would have focused more on the civilian side of Syria’s needs rather than wholly focusing on a military rebellion, maybe the radical factions like IS or Nusra wouldn’t have gained as much of a foothold. If only the US and other foreign powers would have been more principled, trustworthy, organized, and humble, maybe we could have helped those who were truly our allies in peace and democracy. Maybe we still can, even if simply by showing kindness to refugees.
I also felt the hope and resilience of survivors, and even some faith that those who died for their country and freedom for future generations did not do so in vain. As was painted on a wall in Saraqeb after the people peacefully drove IS out of the city in July 2017, “Say to those who try to destroy us that the beauty of our souls cannot be defeated.”
Read
October 3, 2019Great reporting from Abouzeid on the front lines of the war in Syria. She follows the fortunes of ten to twelve individuals both rebel and Assad regime supporters from 2011 to 2016. Two of the most effective portraits are Suleiman and Ruha. The first is an insurance company manager in his 30s from Rastan who decides to take up the rebel cause but is captured by the mukhbaraht and spends two plus years in various brutal prisons. Ruha is a nine year old girl whose father is a rebel leader. Her family steals their way into Turkey to get medical treatment for Ruha's sister and become refugees. Abouzeid also covers the bigger picture of the war. The rebels quickly give up on non-violent opposition to the Assad regime splitting off into different factions too often fighting amongst themselves for weapons and leadership of the rebel cause. It develops into a contest between Al Qaeda and ISIS which to western ears doesn't sound like much choice at all. Both these groups support a future under sharia law and caliphate that spans the Middle East yet still talk about democracy. It's instructive how small a part western or international forces play in rebel leaders' calculations. It was a given to them that the west couldn't be counted on. Meanwhile the war and horrible casualties continue.
May 23, 2018
This was a fascinating account of a diverse group individuals' experiences in the Syrian war. At times, the narrative was a bit hard to follow, but it's definitely worth pushing through the denser parts in order to understand the big picture of this tragic story. I've followed the war loosely since its inception, so I was aware of many of the major events and actors in the war, but my understanding is now much more developed and holistic. Aboudzeid managed to paint a pretty comprehensive picture of the war while highlighting the emotional, human parts, which I find to be invaluable. For me, the most surprising element of the book was how incredibly ordinary each of these individuals were. Years of CNN Breaking News Alerts and talking heads' diatribes on evening news can make us forget that at the center of this story are very average, everyday people who were thrown into this mess and faced with incredible decisions and actions. My sole complaint with the book is that there was little space given to the stories of the minorities who often experienced the war in a very different way, though Abouzeid explained that her pool of those she was able to access and follow for the extended period of time (2011-2016) was limited.
November 4, 2019
Ferocious reporting that details the shifting dynamics of the war in Syria without ever forsaking the individuals who wage it and are repeatedly victimized and marginalized by it. Rania Abouzeid makes recent (since 2011) events in Syria understandable by allowing individuals to tell their stories and pledge their allegiances across the murky landscape that is Syria.
I feel as though some of the fog surrounding Syria has lifted, at least for the half-dozen years during which Abouzeid made repeated clandestine trips into the war zone, where there were warrants for her arrest and constant peril. The book covers historical, tribal, geographic, nationalistic and sectarian movements over time. (Interestingly, Abouzeid includes mentions of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as far back as 2013.)
The one thing I have less of after reading the book is hope that the violence in Syria will ever end, without even more widespread destruction. Abouzeid touches on U.S. interest and activities in the region, painting an unflattering picture of ignorance, arrogance and waste. This should be required reading for politicians and diplomats everywhere.
I feel as though some of the fog surrounding Syria has lifted, at least for the half-dozen years during which Abouzeid made repeated clandestine trips into the war zone, where there were warrants for her arrest and constant peril. The book covers historical, tribal, geographic, nationalistic and sectarian movements over time. (Interestingly, Abouzeid includes mentions of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as far back as 2013.)
The one thing I have less of after reading the book is hope that the violence in Syria will ever end, without even more widespread destruction. Abouzeid touches on U.S. interest and activities in the region, painting an unflattering picture of ignorance, arrogance and waste. This should be required reading for politicians and diplomats everywhere.
keep-in-mind
April 8, 2018Added April 8, 2009.
(Published March 13th 2018 by W. W. Norton Company )
I saw this book discussed on CNN with host, Fareed Zakaria.
The Amazon website gives the following concise summary:
"This astonishing book by the prize-winning journalist Rania Abouzeid tells the tragedy of the Syrian War through the dramatic stories of four young people seeking safety and freedom in a shattered country."...
"Rania Abouzeid brings readers deep inside Assad’s prisons, to covert meetings where foreign states and organizations manipulated the rebels, and to the highest levels of Islamic militancy and the formation of ISIS.
Based on more than five years of clandestine reporting on the front lines, No Turning Back is an utterly engrossing human drama full of vivid, indelible characters that shows how hope can flourish even amid one of the twenty-first century’s greatest humanitarian disasters."
https://www.amazon.com/No-Turning-Bac...
(Published March 13th 2018 by W. W. Norton Company )
I saw this book discussed on CNN with host, Fareed Zakaria.
The Amazon website gives the following concise summary:
"This astonishing book by the prize-winning journalist Rania Abouzeid tells the tragedy of the Syrian War through the dramatic stories of four young people seeking safety and freedom in a shattered country."...
"Rania Abouzeid brings readers deep inside Assad’s prisons, to covert meetings where foreign states and organizations manipulated the rebels, and to the highest levels of Islamic militancy and the formation of ISIS.
Based on more than five years of clandestine reporting on the front lines, No Turning Back is an utterly engrossing human drama full of vivid, indelible characters that shows how hope can flourish even amid one of the twenty-first century’s greatest humanitarian disasters."
https://www.amazon.com/No-Turning-Bac...
May 9, 2018
I think this is an important book about the Syrian conflict, how it got started, what it is all about. However, I disagree with reviewers who thought it was well written. I thought it could have used a good editor to make the narrative flow. The story is very complex, which is important, because we see how difficult it was and is for the US to figure out what role to play, or if there is any role to play. What I concluded is that removing the current president would result in a take over of the Muslim brotherhood faction similar to what happened in Egypt and the people would not be better off. This is a civil war, not a revolution. It is very sad for the people caught up in the conflict who really just want to live.
November 18, 2019
This is a very enjoyable humanist account of the Syrian uprising and civil war. Abouzeid implicitly critiques all oppressors in her work: above all, the Assad regime and its backers, but also sectarian/Salafi-jihadi oppositionists to Assad (such as Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State) and the international powers who essentially conspired against the revolution by refusing to do anything meaningful about Bashar out of fear of empowering the very Salafi-jihadists whom Assad liberated from Sednaya prison in May 2011 (just months after the uprising began), and who outcompeted and outgunned the Free Syrian Army (FSA) due in no small part to Barack Obama's reluctance to arm the latter against its twin enemies of the regime axis and reactionary Islamists. Very highly recommended.
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