mrspontellier's review against another edition
3.0
Great stories, sometimes overpowered by purple prose.
xxstefaniereadsxx's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.0
The author of this book is a well traveled correspondent, who covered the War on Terror post 9/11. She reported war activities, and spoke to several people in the Middle East, on both sides of the conflict. I do not think she provided an unbiased view of this military action or the conditions in which people were living. She was very biased and was very clear on her position on United States policies and decisions regarding the invasion and wars in the Middle East. I cannot say that she was necessarily wrong about her views, plus everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Her writing style was certainly readable, and this was not the worst book that I have read on this subject.
I think that we often look at this war in terms of what it cost us. How many of us have family members and friends who have been on at least one deployment since 2001? How many of us have lost someone in combat or because of suicide or other injuries when they came home? We are born and raised in a very nationalist country, under the guise of patriotism. There is a difference in loving your country and supporting the people who protect it, and worshipping nationalism as a cult. A lot of people here do the latter. Once you realize that, you get sort of disillusioned. I think we fail to realize that there are real people over there who do not speak this language being screamed at and ordered around in words they do not understand. They are being promised things they do not get. They are watching people they love be killed while bombs are exploding all around them. It has to be very traumatic. I can see both sides of this particular argument, at least from the civilian point of view. This book was a good reminder that people are lied to by friends, neighbors, husbands, and their governments. It was a good reminder to view people as people, despite what the actions of a few do to sway us towards a stereotype.
I think that we often look at this war in terms of what it cost us. How many of us have family members and friends who have been on at least one deployment since 2001? How many of us have lost someone in combat or because of suicide or other injuries when they came home? We are born and raised in a very nationalist country, under the guise of patriotism. There is a difference in loving your country and supporting the people who protect it, and worshipping nationalism as a cult. A lot of people here do the latter. Once you realize that, you get sort of disillusioned. I think we fail to realize that there are real people over there who do not speak this language being screamed at and ordered around in words they do not understand. They are being promised things they do not get. They are watching people they love be killed while bombs are exploding all around them. It has to be very traumatic. I can see both sides of this particular argument, at least from the civilian point of view. This book was a good reminder that people are lied to by friends, neighbors, husbands, and their governments. It was a good reminder to view people as people, despite what the actions of a few do to sway us towards a stereotype.
jess_segraves's review against another edition
5.0
This book was an absolutely stunning memoir. Stacks has an unbelievable way with prose, and offering some of the most vivid "showing" I've read in any work. Her observations in Libya and Yemen were especially interesting, making me question the role of government in people's lives. She offered new insight as to issues of war and the Middle East, which is unusual, since at this point I feel a bit as thought I've read it all. I would highly suggest this book to anyone interested in the Middle East or America's 21st century wars.
However, as a caveat, I would also say that it would help if you had some sort of background or prior reading in this subject. It's not necessary, but it'll help. I found myself a little bit lost in the chapter on Lebanon because my understanding of Hezbollah is less developed than what I've learned about Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, etc.
However, as a caveat, I would also say that it would help if you had some sort of background or prior reading in this subject. It's not necessary, but it'll help. I found myself a little bit lost in the chapter on Lebanon because my understanding of Hezbollah is less developed than what I've learned about Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, etc.
shawnwhy's review against another edition
5.0
very interesting first person perspective into the war in the middle east, especially interesting to glimps the perspective of ordinary middle eaassterners, as well as those of warlords vying for power and American favor. " hhaha we are all dust" is super cool
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘You can survive and not survive, both at the same time.’
A number of books have been written by journalists and others about the events in Iraq and Afghanistan following the events of September 11 2001. This book offers a different perspective. On 11 September, Megan Stack, a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, was holidaying in Paris. Shortly after, she was assigned to Afghanistan to cover the US invasion. From there, she travelled to Iraq and Lebanon, to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Libya and Yemen witnessing a number of the changes then sweeping the Muslim world. This book does not contain the stories she filed from those locations, instead it is a description of her experiences in the region, and her responses to those experiences.
Megan Stack writes of herself: ‘So I was a reporter who didn’t really know how to write about combat, covering America from outside its borders as it crashed zealously into war and occupation.‘
In Megan’s Stack’s assessment, the violence that distorts life in the Middle East is the explosive consequence of authoritarian regimes, sectarian divisions, and short-sighted American foreign policy. However, this is not a book about states and solutions; it is a book about individuals and impressions. It is more about consequences than causes. And it’s important, because through Megan Stack we meet some of the people who are also caught up in the so-called ‘War on Terror’ because of where they are. The ‘War on Terror’ may be ‘ essentially nothing but a unifying myth for a complicated scramble of mixed impulses and social theories and night terrors and cruelty and business interests, all overhung with the unassailable memory of falling skyscrapers.’ But it has a significant impact on the lives (and deaths) of many people in the cities of Amman, Baghdad, Cairo, Jerusalem and Tripoli as well as in Afghanistan.
‘In a nest of man-made things, the flesh is the first to go.’
As Megan Stack moves from Afghanistan in 2001, to Baghdad in 2003 and then to Beirut in 2005 she writes of both the human costs of these invasions and the cost of alliances with Mubarak, Qaddafi and with Saudi Arabia. I wonder what she would think of the developments in 2011?
‘War is a total change, unleashing all things light and all things dark; we are pushed forward and our lives are invented by the history we live through.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
A number of books have been written by journalists and others about the events in Iraq and Afghanistan following the events of September 11 2001. This book offers a different perspective. On 11 September, Megan Stack, a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, was holidaying in Paris. Shortly after, she was assigned to Afghanistan to cover the US invasion. From there, she travelled to Iraq and Lebanon, to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Libya and Yemen witnessing a number of the changes then sweeping the Muslim world. This book does not contain the stories she filed from those locations, instead it is a description of her experiences in the region, and her responses to those experiences.
Megan Stack writes of herself: ‘So I was a reporter who didn’t really know how to write about combat, covering America from outside its borders as it crashed zealously into war and occupation.‘
In Megan’s Stack’s assessment, the violence that distorts life in the Middle East is the explosive consequence of authoritarian regimes, sectarian divisions, and short-sighted American foreign policy. However, this is not a book about states and solutions; it is a book about individuals and impressions. It is more about consequences than causes. And it’s important, because through Megan Stack we meet some of the people who are also caught up in the so-called ‘War on Terror’ because of where they are. The ‘War on Terror’ may be ‘ essentially nothing but a unifying myth for a complicated scramble of mixed impulses and social theories and night terrors and cruelty and business interests, all overhung with the unassailable memory of falling skyscrapers.’ But it has a significant impact on the lives (and deaths) of many people in the cities of Amman, Baghdad, Cairo, Jerusalem and Tripoli as well as in Afghanistan.
‘In a nest of man-made things, the flesh is the first to go.’
As Megan Stack moves from Afghanistan in 2001, to Baghdad in 2003 and then to Beirut in 2005 she writes of both the human costs of these invasions and the cost of alliances with Mubarak, Qaddafi and with Saudi Arabia. I wonder what she would think of the developments in 2011?
‘War is a total change, unleashing all things light and all things dark; we are pushed forward and our lives are invented by the history we live through.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
hayilz's review against another edition
1.0
If you like books to do with war, and memoirs (of a journalist) you'd like this book, if you don't then maybe not. It tells the story of Megan Stack, a journalist, and her times interviewing people in countries such as Iraq. She travels through these countries writing articles about the September 11 attacks.
I thought the concept of this book was interesting, but the writing style was challenging for me, therefore not making it very enjoyable
I thought the concept of this book was interesting, but the writing style was challenging for me, therefore not making it very enjoyable
brizreading's review against another edition
4.0
Kinda 3.5-ish stars.
Very reminiscent of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, in that it's a poetic, meditative exploration of the horrors of war. Megan Stack was a foreign war correspondent for the LA Times during the mid-2000s. Each chapter in the book covers another warzone or conflict state: Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, Egypt, Saudi Arabia. She writes lyrically - sometimes too lyrically, sometimes perfectly (and beautifully) capturing a human detail. She also does a laudable job of humanizing American foreign policy in the Middle East, and keeping track of the macro geopolitics at play. It feels clear-eyed, angry, informed.
Despite all this, I will admit that I spent most of the book feeling kind of awful and willing it to end. It was just very, very depressing. I was about to 3-star it, but then her masterful chapter on the young Iraqi distance runner basically left me teary-eyed and amazed. A beautiful portrait; harrowing and sad. There were a lot of moments like that.
Very reminiscent of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, in that it's a poetic, meditative exploration of the horrors of war. Megan Stack was a foreign war correspondent for the LA Times during the mid-2000s. Each chapter in the book covers another warzone or conflict state: Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, Egypt, Saudi Arabia. She writes lyrically - sometimes too lyrically, sometimes perfectly (and beautifully) capturing a human detail. She also does a laudable job of humanizing American foreign policy in the Middle East, and keeping track of the macro geopolitics at play. It feels clear-eyed, angry, informed.
Despite all this, I will admit that I spent most of the book feeling kind of awful and willing it to end. It was just very, very depressing. I was about to 3-star it, but then her masterful chapter on the young Iraqi distance runner basically left me teary-eyed and amazed. A beautiful portrait; harrowing and sad. There were a lot of moments like that.
genxyogireader100's review against another edition
3.0
Very interesting book, more like a series of articles than a free flowing narrative. Once you realize the story is going to be told like articles, it is much easier to read. I recommend for anyone interested in Middle East politics and/or the various military conflicts in the region.