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jiujensu's review against another edition
5.0
This book is Riverbend's blog. She's a girl from Iraq and I wish I'd have found her blog at the time of the invasion.
It brought back some thoughts and feelings I had at the time of the invasion and highlighted things I'd not thought of or forgotten. All those things I didn't know or have forgotten definitely added insult to injury or injury to injury. Each event that came next was more ridiculous than the first. The invasion on false pretenses was bad, but everything that came after...wow.
In addition, she describes the food and culture, like the tea making process, Ramadan, significance of gold jewelry, relationships with Chrsitians and sharing holidays with them.
Riverbend explains things so well for us Americans. I have enjoyed the detail and context- not enjoyed descriptions of war- but you know what I mean- it fills in some blanks that were left intentionally by the government and media or my bad memory. It is a new context or perspective on what I felt back then.
More detail: http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2011/07/baghdad-burning-by-riverbend.html
It brought back some thoughts and feelings I had at the time of the invasion and highlighted things I'd not thought of or forgotten. All those things I didn't know or have forgotten definitely added insult to injury or injury to injury. Each event that came next was more ridiculous than the first. The invasion on false pretenses was bad, but everything that came after...wow.
In addition, she describes the food and culture, like the tea making process, Ramadan, significance of gold jewelry, relationships with Chrsitians and sharing holidays with them.
Riverbend explains things so well for us Americans. I have enjoyed the detail and context- not enjoyed descriptions of war- but you know what I mean- it fills in some blanks that were left intentionally by the government and media or my bad memory. It is a new context or perspective on what I felt back then.
More detail: http://notanotherpoliticalblog-j.blogspot.com/2011/07/baghdad-burning-by-riverbend.html
armedwithabook's review
5.0
The first book I have read which is originally a blog. Riverbend's account of Iraq after the Baghdad invasion by the US in 2003 is detailed and tries to address many stereotypes that the world, the West specifically, might hold of Iraq - its culture, education system, religion and way of living. She actively challenges the views of the Western media and Iraqi politics, giving a glimpse of the struggles of living in a country at war, surrounded by sorrow, bombing and fear. I am looking forward to reading the second part, or the rest of the posts on her blog.
bookishdea's review
5.0
This was a very interesting book. I have a love/hate relationship with books written in a blog format, but it definitely drew me in. I really enjoyed getting River's side of things, watching the invasion and the time afterwards from her point of view. She's got a great voice and now I definitely plan on searching out the sequel.
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