Saddam Hussein

by Charles J. Shields

Presents the life and leadership of the former president of Iraq, who defied UN sanctions and was captured by American soldiers in December 2003.

Genres: Biography

135 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Charles J. Shields is the author of And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut: A Life (Henry Holt & Co.), Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee (Holt), the highly acclaimed, bestselling biography of Harper Lee,I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers), and The Man Who Wrote the Perfect Novel: John Williams, Stoner, and the Writing Life (University of Texas Press).

In January 2022, Henry Holt will release Shields' new book, Lorraine Hansberry: The Life Behind 'A Raisin in the Sun,' the most comprehensive biography of, in James Baldwin’s words, this “very young woman, with an overpowering vision.”

Reviews

[Marika Kakaladze · Rating 5 out of 5]

goooood one

[Judith Smulders · Rating 1 out of 5]

More of a cursory introduction to recent Iraqi history than a work on Saddam Hussein as leader of Iraq (his policies, governing style etc.) Would've been nice to read some of the outlandish things he said in his day to illustrate the level of madness. Information on treatment of Kurds, Shias, Jews and marsh arabs very limited.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing special it had some trivial facts that I didn`t now of yet.

But for the rest it overemphasizes that during the Iraq-Iran war. Iraq was equiped with Soviet arms, and completley ignoring the fact that Saddam was backed by proxy by America.