Reviews: Once Upon a Time in Iraq (3)

Absolutely devastating, impossible to read without becoming angry and depressed about this disaster of a conflict and my country's role in it. The first-hand interviews are from a range of voices, ranging from US Servicemen, war photographers, Iraqi civilians and even Saddam zealots, but none come away with anything good to say about the war. It's clear that the US and UK (interviewees mention on several occasions how we are just as guilty as the Americans) went in with no long-term plan or attempts to reconstruct the country, nor any clear understanding of the geo-political and religious complexities of Iraq. I found the final chapters focusing on the rise of ISIS particularly painful, inflicting horrific brutality on the civilians and almost certainly wouldn't have occurred without the war. I doubt I'll read a better non-fiction book this year.

wanted to read this book which accompanied a recent BBC documentary. My reasons for wanting to read the book were because at the time of watching, I was feeling confused and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information being imparted and wanted some clarity. What I particularly liked about this book was the informative backdrop and timeline to the Iraq War which started in 2003 - in the Preface and Introduction. Like most people my age I remember the attack on the Twin Towers and the demonising of Saddam Hussein by the US not long after (although even to the casual observer he was a murderous ruler). Along with many others I now feel I was manipulated into believing this war was unavoidable.
The first person recollections from Iraqi citizens, journalists, diplomats and US soldiers give a fascinating insight into the sheer horror of the war and the post war devastation on Iraq. Some of their stories are truly horrifying. I found these testimonies to be well balanced by the authors and even included an extremely pro Saddam supporter. Their voices are unanimous that this war should never have occurred and the ongoing consequences for both the people of Iraq and the rest of the world in terms of terrorist activity is hugely significant and long lasting. The fact that Iraqi people have lost faith in the electoral process is particularly sad bearing in mind what they’ve gone through to be part of a democratic voting system.
The only minor quibble I have is that I would have liked details of the contributors and their photos to be at the front of the book rather than the back, so I could visualise the person as I was reading.
This book covers an important part of recent history and is an absorbing though to be honest due to the subject matter difficult read. I highly recommend it.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Penguin/BBC Books for the arc in return for an honest review.

Once Upon A Time in Iraq by Jason Bluemel and Renad Mansour is a compelling nonfiction book written in multi faceted first hand testimonies by those who lived and experienced the horrors of the Iraqi war. It is an insightful, complex and intricate look at the conflict that began with the invasion of Iraq in 2003 in order to overthrow Saddam Hussein’s regime. The reverberations of this decision and the void of power and restructuring would gravely impact the lives of millions in Iraq and the West. The book examines the multiple events and issues that many still face today - violence, mass migration, the rise of the Islamic State - which can be linked to the political, social and economic choices made in the period following the invasion. This is an essential, gripping book that illuminates all sides of the conflict from the working class Iraqi families, the soldiers, journalists, and politicians to create an in-depth, intricate and informative narrative. This is a book about the past and how it continues to shape the world today.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.