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Pride and Power: A Modern History of Iraq
The story of Iraq is one of resistance. In this groundbreaking study, Johan Franzén offers a contextual modern history of the country, its creation and its struggle for sovereignty. Iraq's contemporary history is a tale of a diverse people thrown together into a nation-state by imperialist statecraft. From the state's inception as a League of Nations mandate in the 1920s, through wars, coups and revolutions, Iraqis have always resisted foreign domination. But the country, propelled by the quest for power, intense national pride and a zeal for sovereignty, was catapulted along a trajectory of violence. On one side stood imperialism, seeking to control Iraq for its own ends. Facing it, Iraqis of varying nationalist groups tried to rid the country of foreign meddling and steer a course of self-determination. Pride and Power offers in-depth analysis of the most important events, decisions and processes that led Iraq down this path. Based on extensive research of primary sources, both Iraqi and Western, the book unravels the complexity of Iraq's political history. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the international relations of the Middle East or in understanding the rich history of Iraq, from its foundation to the present.
- GenresMiddle EastNonfiction
660 pages, Hardcover
First published November 26, 2020
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 4, 2025
A rather remarkable book on the modern history of Iraq.
I struggled a lot with how to rate it.
When I started reading it, I found it tiring due to the abundance of details about people, meetings, memos, etc.
I thought about giving up on it, but I continued —
and I was rewarded.
I’m giving it 4 stars.
On the plus side, the book offers a very insightful political analysis of the country’s history, with many fascinating events presented in all their multidimensional complexity.
In the end, you get a complete picture of the country.
The downsides are its large volume and the level of detail — important, but not something you’ll retain.
And the history is mainly analyzed from the top — the leadership level.
The everyday lives of ordinary people are not explored in depth.
Cultural movements, local culture, and art have only a minimal presence in the book.
I struggled a lot with how to rate it.
When I started reading it, I found it tiring due to the abundance of details about people, meetings, memos, etc.
I thought about giving up on it, but I continued —
and I was rewarded.
I’m giving it 4 stars.
On the plus side, the book offers a very insightful political analysis of the country’s history, with many fascinating events presented in all their multidimensional complexity.
In the end, you get a complete picture of the country.
The downsides are its large volume and the level of detail — important, but not something you’ll retain.
And the history is mainly analyzed from the top — the leadership level.
The everyday lives of ordinary people are not explored in depth.
Cultural movements, local culture, and art have only a minimal presence in the book.
Displaying 1 of 1 review