Bashar Al-Assad

by Susan Muaddi Darraj

This series contains absorbing accounts of the leaders who have changed the course of history. Bashar al-Assad chose to pursue a career in medicine, the untimely death of his older brother and father pushed him into the political spotlight. Ages 13+.

Library Binding

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

Susan Muaddi Darraj won the 2016 American Book Award for her novel-in-stories, A Curious Land: Stories from Home.

Her new novel, Behind You Is the Sea (Harper Collins, 2024) is set in Baltimore and follows the stories of a Palestinian American immigrant community.

Her previous short story collection, The Inheritance of Exile, was honored by the U.S. State Department’s Arabic Book Program.

She was named a 2016 USA Ford Fellow, and she has received awards for her writing from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance.

Her new children's chapter book series, FARAH ROCKS, was published from Capstone Books in January 2020. It is the first children's book series to feature an Arab American protagonist.

A Philadelphia native, she currently lives in Baltimore. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @SusanDarraj.

Reviews

[Judith Smulders · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very concise introduction to the presidency of Assad. Gives some context and historic background. It's a halfway decent introduction that gives insight into his relationship with the Syrian people prior to the Syrian Revolution in 2011, other Arab leaders, Israel, the US government during the war in Iraq and the Kurds inside Syria. Also compares his leadership to that of his father, Hafez al-Assad.