Synopses & Reviews
From the IranIraq War through the Occupation, this collection of fictional short stories presents an uncompromising view of the relationship between the West and Iraq, as well as a haunting critique of the postwar refugee experience. Blending allegory with historical realism and subverting expectations in an unflinching comedy of the macabre, these tales manage to be both phantasmagoric and shockingly real. For all the despair and darkness portrayed in these gripping storiesfrom spotlighting hostage-video makers in Baghdad to following human trafficking in Serbia's forestswhat lingers more than the haunting images of war is the spirit of defiance and of indefatigable courage.
Synopsis
From human trafficking in the forests of Serbia, to the nightmares of an exile trying to embrace a new life in Amsterdam, Blasim's stories present an uncompromising view of the West's relationship with Iraq, spanning over twenty years and taking in everything from the Iran-Iraq War through to the Occupation, as well as offering a haunting critique of the post-war refugee experience.
About the Author
Hassan Blasim is a writer, a poet, and an award-winning filmmaker. He has written for www.iraqstory.com and his first short story in English was published in Madinah: City Stories from the Middle East. Jonathan Wright has been an Arabic translator for more than 30 years and has worked as a journalist for Reuters international new agency. His first major literary translation was Taxi by Khaled el-Khamissi.