Perception Wars: Iraq from the Outside In

by Jemil Metti

This book is about Metti's involuntary settlement in Iraq during the latter 50's and the entire sixth decade of the last century. It describes both personal and academic challenges he encountered by the need to acclimate to a new language and embrace his father's Iraqi culture. When that connection failed to materialize, his experience transformed into a depiction of cultural rejection aggravated by assimilation issues. This story highlights why he felt out of place every time he stepped outside the hospitable and generous bonding of his extended Iraqi family into the corporal punishment landmines of Iraqi education.

Genres: Nonfiction

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2022

About the author

Jemil Metti was born in Long Island, New York to an Iraqi father and a Hungarian mother who passed away when he was two months old. After two years of American boarding school commencing in 1954, he was transferred to Beirut, Lebanon for a one-year stint before ending up in Baghdad, Iraq in 1957.

After living there his entire teen years, he returned to the United States in 1970. Metti attended Northern Illinois University, S.U.N.Y.-Binghamton, and Wayne State University-Detroit to earn his B.A., M.A. and Ed.D. respectively.

Currently Michigan-based, Metti professionally worked in broadcast and print journalism, real estate sales and education. Though his professional focus had almost entirely shifted to education by 1978, he just couldn't stay away from writing, politics and global affairs. And thus began his bid to freelance for the Michigan-based Romeo Observer (1980-1981) and the Advisor Newspapers (1981-1990). Jemil Metti retired from teaching at the end of 2019. He is now a full-time writer.

Reviews

[Stevie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is nice to have something other than the U.S. perspective.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed this book so far and I've learned so much.

[Kyle Corley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It reads as a history book about how America’s influence in Iraq.