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48 reviews for:
The Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What History Leaves Unsaid
Will Bardenwerper
3.96 AVERAGE
48 reviews for:
The Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What History Leaves Unsaid
Will Bardenwerper
3.96 AVERAGE
I rarely read non-fiction but I'm trying to read more of those this year. I picked this up because of the current issues in the Middle East. This was excellent btw and surprisingly emotional towards the end. I love how it shows all faces of Saddam from the perspective of these different people. Yes, he was a horrible person. Yes, he is also an old man living out his last days normally. To different people, he's a different man. And him being nice to the soldiers doesn't absolve what he did to to the people of Iraq and the damage he has done. But seeing him from the Super Twelve's eyes, is basically seeing a man, a former dictator "undressed" of all his powers and you began to question; what made him do all those things? What changed for him and at what point? Seeing him living his last days feels like seeing what he could've become; just a normal grandpa telling stories to children, writing poetry, reading and enjoying cigars while reminiscing the good 'ol days. Towards the end the writing managed to make me feel emotional over how Iraqis react to his death - even when I KNOW he deserves it, he wronged them. But to the Super Twelve, he was just a funny old man that they've grown attached to. Was Saddam charismatically manipulating them? I don't think so. Because there's nothing to gain here. The soldiers were proven to be dedicated to their mission and they don't have any type of sway political or otherwise. I think in a way it is nice to at least have some companionship in your final days even if it is with the "enemy".
dark
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medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
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informative
fast-paced
This book follows twelve US military personnel who were assigned to guard Saddam Hussien. Saddam Hussien was a high value prisoner, accused of crimes against humanity. This book does attempt to change the perception of Saddam Hussien and his humanity; however, I am disinclined to buy everything that is being sold here. I have read other books and articles by members of his extended family that attest to his cruelty, as well as Iraqi citizens who have outlined specific treatments and general life under the dictatorship of Hussein. People are complex creatures, and one person can be multiple things...but when people to tell you who they are by their day-to-day actions, my experience is to believe that. Despite that, the book was extremely interesting, as it gives a behind the scenes look at how this assignment was carried out and the topics that were discussed during this time period.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This book is the untold story of what took place after Saddam Hussein was captured and his death. This book brings to light of a tale different from the Saddam Hussein we thought we knew. This is also the story of the twelve guards who were assigned to guard him and the relationships they formed with Saddam Hussein.
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was a well written story, and a story that needed to be told. While I do not approve of the horrible things that Saddam Hussein did, this story brought more humanity to Saddam Hussein as a person. While it is difficult to process the horrible things Saddam Hussein did and the person that he was characterized to be in this story explains why this book needed to be written. The only criticism I have for this book was the organization of this book. I felt at times it was disorganized and did not flow together well with the overall book. Otherwise this book is highly recommended for everyone to read.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Will Bardenwerper, and Scribner Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more book reviews come and read my book blog at: http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was a well written story, and a story that needed to be told. While I do not approve of the horrible things that Saddam Hussein did, this story brought more humanity to Saddam Hussein as a person. While it is difficult to process the horrible things Saddam Hussein did and the person that he was characterized to be in this story explains why this book needed to be written. The only criticism I have for this book was the organization of this book. I felt at times it was disorganized and did not flow together well with the overall book. Otherwise this book is highly recommended for everyone to read.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Will Bardenwerper, and Scribner Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more book reviews come and read my book blog at: http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com
I had no idea about this TRUE story until I heard about it in a podcast. Bardenwerper obviously wasn't in Iraq, but he uses firsthand accounts from soldiers, jurors, and many other sources to put this story together. It was a quick read, but a fascinating look into one of history's most evil villains, Sadam Hussein.
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
funny
informative