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A review by quickolive32
Waiting to Be Arrested at Night: A Uyghur Poet's Memoir of China's Genocide by Tahir Hamut Izgil
5.0
The author details his life before during and after the CCP's "crackdown" on the Uyghur community. Living in Xinjiang goes from being able to pray daily and study Islam as a kid to being sent to "study" (read: prison) if you even have possession of a Quran. He talks about a single night where a whole apartment building full of people throws their religious texts down the sewer drain one by one.
After his family finally gets away, people that helped him escape are also sent to prison. His own parents have to sign statements saying that they will not contact him again after a single phone call from abroad.
I've heard general news about the happenings in Xinjiang but this book talks about the author's own experience. Its told from a first person perspective. It makes it that much more powerful.
The author, a poet and a creative, has a few poems sprinkled throughout the text.
Its not all bad, he does write about a fondness for his culture and his place of origin. Unfortunately, this is a place that will probably never exist again.
After his family finally gets away, people that helped him escape are also sent to prison. His own parents have to sign statements saying that they will not contact him again after a single phone call from abroad.
I've heard general news about the happenings in Xinjiang but this book talks about the author's own experience. Its told from a first person perspective. It makes it that much more powerful.
The author, a poet and a creative, has a few poems sprinkled throughout the text.
Its not all bad, he does write about a fondness for his culture and his place of origin. Unfortunately, this is a place that will probably never exist again.