I’jaam: An Iraqi Rhapsody by Sinan Antoon

This short novel by Sinan Antoon is about a manuscript discovered in Baghdad’s General Security headquarters that was written by a young political prisoner. It weaves together accounts of life in prison, childhood memories, traumatic events and hallucinations, providing a horrific yet often humorous critique of political repression and human rights violations under Saddam Hussein.

The Gettysburg College Bookstore now has copies of I'jaam. The bookstore manager is kindly offering 15% off.

Late for Tea at the Deer Palace by Tamara Chalabi

The author looks at the modern history of Iraq through the story of her own family, who played a significant political role in Iraq since the time of the Ottoman Empire. She is the daughter of Ahmed Chalabi, the controversial Iraqi politician and former exile who helped the U.S. plan the 2003 invasion and overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Weaving historical fact with stories from her own family history, Chalabi offers an engaging portrait of Middle Eastern family life and social history.

The Gettysburg College Bookstore now has copies of Late for Tea at the Deer Palace. The bookstore manager is kindly offering 15% off.

Salam Pax: The Clandestine Diary of an Ordinary Iraqi by Salam Pax

This book is a compilation of blog entries by “Salam Pax,” a pseudonym for the 29-year-old Baghdad man whose blog "Where is Raed?" drew a huge international readership during the buildup, prosecution, and aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. His summaries of daily life, musings on political events, and wry observations of American actions bring into relief the complex views and responses of a single individual.

The Gettysburg College Bookstore now has copies of Salam Pax. The bookstore manager is kindly offering 15% off.

About Baghdad (film)

Released in 2004, this 90-minute (sub-titled) documentary follows exiled writer and poet Sinan Antoon as he returns to his native Baghdad after the fall of the Ba'ath regime in July 2003. A team of independent filmmakers, artists and poets document the effects that decades of rule by Saddam Hussein, oppression, war, sanctions and occupation have had on Antoon’s city. The result is a fascinating mosaic of opinions, perspectives, desires and memories that offers a picture far more complex than the typical portrayals of Iraqi feelings about Saddam Hussein and the American occupation.

My Country, My Country (film)

Released in 2006, this 90-minute (sub-titled) documentary by Laura Poitras features Dr. Riyadh, an Iraqi medical doctor, father of six and a Sunni political candidate. He is passionate about the need for his country to establish democracy, but becomes increasingly disillusioned with the American occupation. All around him, Dr. Riyadh sees only chaos, as his waiting room fills each day with patients suffering the effects of ever-increasing violence. We hear conversations as he treats patients, visits prisoners in Abu Ghraib and sits with his family through the repeated shelling of his neighborhood. His personal journey is a poignant look at life in Baghdad today.