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katnortonwriter's review
dark
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
I have mixed feelings about Minoui's writing, in part because the other book of hers that I know ("Nujood") ended up being so exploitative. I'm not sure that she's to blame for that, but it was still in the back of my mind as I read this one.
This being a translation, I'm also not sure how much to say about language. Structurally, "Book Collectors" is interesting, because Minoui was never able to visit the library at the heart of this book. As in Rolling Blackouts and Joe Sacco's works, a significant part of this story is focused on Minoui's experiences as recorder/reporter/witness. The connections felt a bit surface-level and I think she could have gone deeper, but again, that might be partly the result of reading a translation.
I am grossly underinformed about this subject, and read "The Book Collectors" as part of my self-education to make up for years of being an ignorant white American. Beyond the situation Minoui describes in Syria, I found this to be quite relevant in other ways, since may of us are bearing witness to an ongoing atrocity through various forms of social media. As someone who lives in a country where banning books and limiting access to information is a huge concern, I found her reflections on the power of books, libraries, and education to be intensely relevant and concerning.
I'm still struggling to understand the larger political landscape in which these events took place. This isn't the most helpful book I've read, but its narrow focus makes it easier to understand this little snippet. If you only read one nonfiction book this year, I'm not sure this should be it, but I did find this to be a worthwhile read in the larger context of my self-guided curriculum.
This being a translation, I'm also not sure how much to say about language. Structurally, "Book Collectors" is interesting, because Minoui was never able to visit the library at the heart of this book. As in Rolling Blackouts and Joe Sacco's works, a significant part of this story is focused on Minoui's experiences as recorder/reporter/witness. The connections felt a bit surface-level and I think she could have gone deeper, but again, that might be partly the result of reading a translation.
I am grossly underinformed about this subject, and read "The Book Collectors" as part of my self-education to make up for years of being an ignorant white American. Beyond the situation Minoui describes in Syria, I found this to be quite relevant in other ways, since may of us are bearing witness to an ongoing atrocity through various forms of social media. As someone who lives in a country where banning books and limiting access to information is a huge concern, I found her reflections on the power of books, libraries, and education to be intensely relevant and concerning.
I'm still struggling to understand the larger political landscape in which these events took place. This isn't the most helpful book I've read, but its narrow focus makes it easier to understand this little snippet. If you only read one nonfiction book this year, I'm not sure this should be it, but I did find this to be a worthwhile read in the larger context of my self-guided curriculum.
ryner's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.0
In 2012 the Syrian city of Darayya, a suburb of Damascus and a base for rebels opposed to the dictatorial rule of President Assad, became the target of a military assault that would last four years, isolating Darayya's 8,000 residents from even the most basic requirements of life, such as water, food and medicine. Despite death and destruction all around them, a handful of idealistic young men meticulously assembled an underground library from scavenged books they unearthed from all over the ruins of their city, and through literature they kept hope alive.
I'm a sucker for inspirational books about books, libraries and survival, so this seemed right up my alley. It also conveniently satisfied the category "a book about books" for Read Harder 2024. These brave citizens created something beautiful and inspiring for their community out of overwhelming, devastating tragedy and loss. Though the narrative felt a little choppy with often extremely short chapters, and rapid pivots, it was overall a quick, engaging read. I'm somewhat ashamed to realize that Syria rarely, if ever, appears in my newsfeed, and I've spent most of the last decade oblivious to its citizens' suffering. Kudos also to Minoui for her dedication to bringing their story, photos and videos to the awareness of the rest of the world.
I'm a sucker for inspirational books about books, libraries and survival, so this seemed right up my alley. It also conveniently satisfied the category "a book about books" for Read Harder 2024. These brave citizens created something beautiful and inspiring for their community out of overwhelming, devastating tragedy and loss. Though the narrative felt a little choppy with often extremely short chapters, and rapid pivots, it was overall a quick, engaging read. I'm somewhat ashamed to realize that Syria rarely, if ever, appears in my newsfeed, and I've spent most of the last decade oblivious to its citizens' suffering. Kudos also to Minoui for her dedication to bringing their story, photos and videos to the awareness of the rest of the world.
hnagarne's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
5.0
Reading to escape. Reading to find oneself. Reading to feel alive. Among the young people of Daraya, reading has even more meaning than that. Here, reading is an act of transgression. It’s an affirmation of the freedom they’ve been deprived of for too long.
I loved this story of reading as resistance, of literature as safety. The author, a journalist, comes across a picture in Humans of Syria one day that depicts a couple young men next to a wall of fully-packed bookshelves. The men are standing in the secret library of Daraya, a city in Syria that is considered to be a rebel stronghold. The men have collected these books from bombed houses, bringing them underground to preserve them from the regime. The books are inscribed with the owner's name in the hopes that they can be reunited when the war is over, but in the meantime the books become part of the library's collection, and the cofounders invite citizens of the city to read what they've gathered, learn English, and participate in discussions surrounding nonviolence and their fight for freedom.
But what will come tomorrow? Will the United Nations deign to take action? Will it be able to stop the killing machine? Tomorrow, will their distress call be erased by other tragedies? Other threats? Other conflicts? Tomorrow, once it’s too late, will the international community finally wake up?
tracyksmith_reads's review
4.0
This book tells an important story about what the Syrians went through during the war. It shows how important books and reading was to them during that time. They went to great lengths to collect the books and establish a hidden library amongst the rubble. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and learn their story. It's not my usual preference in genre, but I'm so happy I chose to read it.
dhall58's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
vmalika's review against another edition
4.0
this book was another reminder how horrible are wars and how important it is to find something what gives you hope during such hard times. the heroes of this book found their solace in books.
it also made so sad to see how these people were abandoned by international community. I guess some things never change.
“A crime against humanity, just like the bombings, the sarin gas at-tacks, the prison abuses and rapes, the siege of cities, and the torture by hunger.
I'd like to tell them all that.
But what will come tomorrow?
Will the United Nations deign to take action?
Will it be able to stop the killing machine?
Tomorrow, will their distress call be erased by other tragedies? Other threats? Other conflicts?
Tomorrow, once it's too late, will the international community finally wake up?”
it also made so sad to see how these people were abandoned by international community. I guess some things never change.
“A crime against humanity, just like the bombings, the sarin gas at-tacks, the prison abuses and rapes, the siege of cities, and the torture by hunger.
I'd like to tell them all that.
But what will come tomorrow?
Will the United Nations deign to take action?
Will it be able to stop the killing machine?
Tomorrow, will their distress call be erased by other tragedies? Other threats? Other conflicts?
Tomorrow, once it's too late, will the international community finally wake up?”
a_rov's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
''The philosophy of Daraya'' formed at the core of a new way of life, appearing at first as a cooping mechanism for the people who stood by their ideas through the devastating realities of war, later became an integral part (a ''Linchpin'') of each individual hoping to see a better future for their beloved homeland. It is a lesson for everyone who seeks to question the so-called "status quo'' using weopons as last resort to defend themselves and their loved ones from the wake of unending terror enforced by those who claim to be the only alternative to chaos '' إما أنا أو الفوضى ''.
As it is stated in the title, “The Book Collectors of Daraya” is not about the particular books and/or the library, but rather the people who seek change and have the willpower to preserve and spread knowledge in dire circumstances. Following the main plot we meet the protagonists of Daraya, most of them are young in their 20th together with their teacher/mentor Ustez, each of them has an individual background and story unreveled along the plot. We get some brief historical context here and there (ditaield enough, but not too overwhelming) of how the situation came to be, whlie also getting updates as the time of the siege carries on.
The main plot starts when when Delphine Minoui (author) discovers the random post on Facebook of people reading in an underground library and upon further inquiry finds their contact, which allows her to communicate with them on semi-regular basis thus forming the main structure of the book (although it is worth mentioning that in the end of the book, it is revealed in aknowledgments that there were 2 aspiring journalists who assisted with the translation from Arabic day and night).
The key theme revolves around the certain "Daraya'' unique way of rebellion deoending mroe on self-education and written word, rather than brute force and propoganda of their adversaries. You observe the people's journey of self-analysis and self-reflection intertwined with escapism from the daily life of constant worry and anxiety, leading to the discovery of the previously unknown knowledge from poetry, history, politics to popular self-help books (Note: the list of the mentioned book is conveniently placed at the end as well). It is both fascinating and dreadful that the path to Enlightenment was found on the ruins of a sieged city under the constant bombardment by the Regime.
In the end, despite the destruction of the city, Daraya will never leave the hearts of the people who survived. It is not the city which made the people great, but the people stood against the chaos disguised as order, through 4 years of hardship and siege in hope of a better, equal and free future for their beloved country. The story serves as an inspiring example of how the brave people united by the same values and purpose can to withstand hardship for the intrinsically human desire for freedom, shared by all people in different parts of the world.
As it is stated in the title, “The Book Collectors of Daraya” is not about the particular books and/or the library, but rather the people who seek change and have the willpower to preserve and spread knowledge in dire circumstances. Following the main plot we meet the protagonists of Daraya, most of them are young in their 20th together with their teacher/mentor Ustez, each of them has an individual background and story unreveled along the plot. We get some brief historical context here and there (ditaield enough, but not too overwhelming) of how the situation came to be, whlie also getting updates as the time of the siege carries on.
The main plot starts when when Delphine Minoui (author) discovers the random post on Facebook of people reading in an underground library and upon further inquiry finds their contact, which allows her to communicate with them on semi-regular basis thus forming the main structure of the book (although it is worth mentioning that in the end of the book, it is revealed in aknowledgments that there were 2 aspiring journalists who assisted with the translation from Arabic day and night).
The key theme revolves around the certain "Daraya'' unique way of rebellion deoending mroe on self-education and written word, rather than brute force and propoganda of their adversaries. You observe the people's journey of self-analysis and self-reflection intertwined with escapism from the daily life of constant worry and anxiety, leading to the discovery of the previously unknown knowledge from poetry, history, politics to popular self-help books (Note: the list of the mentioned book is conveniently placed at the end as well). It is both fascinating and dreadful that the path to Enlightenment was found on the ruins of a sieged city under the constant bombardment by the Regime.
In the end, despite the destruction of the city, Daraya will never leave the hearts of the people who survived. It is not the city which made the people great, but the people stood against the chaos disguised as order, through 4 years of hardship and siege in hope of a better, equal and free future for their beloved country. The story serves as an inspiring example of how the brave people united by the same values and purpose can to withstand hardship for the intrinsically human desire for freedom, shared by all people in different parts of the world.