Between Baghdad and the World

by Hanan Jiyad

Paperback

Reviews

[Zahra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up as an Iraqi youth in the west, I tend to feel extremely distant from my roots that reside in Iraq however this book taught me so much about the experiences that many of our parents and relatives went through. It opened up so many conversations about unimaginable events that took place in Iraq at the time of the Ba'athist regime.

I picked up this book not expecting to go on a journey of love, family, tragedy and oppression but that is exactly what I experienced.

I am forever grateful to Hanan Jiyad for writing such a thought and heart provoking novel with unforgettable characters that feel so familiar and personal. This is not a story to forget.

[Mariam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly don’t know where to start. I feel this sense of longing towards Iraq though I’ve never lived there. It’s sort of a tragic feeling, knowing that a number of religious youth were tortured and killed during the Ba’thist regime is not an unfamiliar thought, but I only really deeped it when I read this. As a western Iraqi Shia it was difficult for me to fully empathise and understand what our parents and grandparents went through. When my Bebe would explain her story of immigrating from Iraq, or my mother’s take on it as an 18 year old at the time, it never used to pain me as it does now. I feel more connected to them now that I’ve read this story, and though I’m in a state of mourning towards all the great individuals we’ve lost (and are still losing), I’m grateful for Hanan for writing this.
I’m currently experiencing a plethora of emotions and I feel I have so much to say in regards to the events written about in the book, but I’m not very good at writing my thoughts down-I’d be down for a conversation so someone hmu otherwise I’m afraid I’ll have to call everyone registered on my phone and rant

[sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stories about the Iraqis that were displaced by war, that show who was affected long before the occupation of Iraq started, and show what happened to the nation during the rule of the Ba’athist party are rare. It’s hard to find anything about the mundane lives of Iraqis who’s crime was simply existing. Every story about Iraq always revolves around the soldiers that invaded, so this book was refreshing to read; it felt like my khala was sitting and telling me a story. I’ve heard tales so similar to this from so many people, heard my father’s stories of the prisons and my mother’s of the bombings in Iraq - the nation’s suffering was represented in this book. Dunya suffers like anyone else - and though she is not always directly impacted, it shows how every single Iraqi has felt the repercussions of Saddam Hussein’s rule. Her suffering is not unlike anything else: it’s ordinary, and mundane, and it represents Iraq. While the pain in Iraq was incredibly arduous and considerable, it was widespread - and most of the surviving nation can relate to Dunya. There will always be people who have been hurt worse, who have been impacted harder. But suffering does not always have to be extraordinary to be heard.

The one thing that let this book down, however, was the writing. The style was fine, and the pace was good too. But the writing itself - it was very reductive and simplistic. It felt lacking in places, incomplete and I felt as if I were reading a children’s book. It felt strange - such simple writing about such a heavy matter. I feel as though I cannot recommend this book because of it; the entirety of the book is written this way and it really does impact your reading. If you would like a short and (very) easy to read book, this might be for you.

[Nesa Mirza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Not only was it captivating and well-written , but it also inspired me to learn more about the Iraqi people and their struggle. I cried a lot while reading this book and I think the words from the author at the end wrapped it up beautifully. The chapters are short, which I actually liked. If you’re not an avid reader and just want a book that has a nice easy flow and will have you coming back every night for more, I’m sure this book would be a good one to add to your queue. It discusses a lot of important topics that are very relevant!