From Publishers Weekly
The author of The Bookseller of Kabul, Norwegian journalist Seierstad spent 101 days in Baghdad before, during and after the initial coalition attacks in March 2003. She calls the articles she sent back to Europe "glimpses from the war," and weaves them into a brisk, present-tense narrative. The initial battles are with her official minders, always eager to steer her to sanctioned sites. With child psychologists, she sneaks out to explore the muddled terror and fantasy in Iraqi kids. A Finnish "human shield" professes no opinion of Saddam. A missile that hit a market renders scenes of blood and torment "too gruesome to publish." Every American soldier the author meets mentions 9/11, but there is no one Iraqi voice—she finds men joyful and resentful as they watch the fall of Saddam's statue, and finally able to report atrocities they witnessed. One constant is Aliya, Seierstad's interpreter, a loyal regime supporter who heroically shows up during the attacks, works mechanically after liberation to translate regime opponents' words and finally comes to some understanding of her country's past. While more ambitious narratives may provide more context, this is a valuable impressionistic portrait; it may lack the concentrated intimacy of The Bookseller of Kabul, but should backlist well as part of the tapestry of Iraq coverage. Agent, Diane Spivey.7-city author tour.(Apr. 11)
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Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* In January 2003 freelance journalist Seierstad traveled to Iraq, hoping to get the Iraqi perspective on the possibility of a war with America. She constantly battled red tape and interpreters reluctant to take her to places where she might get more controversial opinions. She encounters Saddam Hussein everywhere she turns--his portraits and statues cover the buildings and the landscape, and his name is on the tip of most people's tongues. But Seierstad also finds people willing to whisper to her about their longing for freedom and the fear they live with everyday. There's no consensus about the pending war as it becomes clear that war is indeed imminent--even those who long for liberation view an American incursion as a necessary evil that cannot be trusted. In the days just before the war, Seierstad's visa runs out, and she is sent to nearby Jordan, where she tries desperately to get back in. When she does, she finds journalists, human shields, and Iraqis fleeing and wonders if covering the war is worth risking her life. Seierstad, author of The Bookseller of Kabul (2003), imbues her narrative with a true sense of immediacy, particularly in the days leading up to the war. Her multifaceted chronicle is required reading for anyone who truly wants to delve into the complexities of life in Iraq under Saddam and during the war and its aftermath. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
