Riverbend is the pseudonym of a young iraqi blogger. Baghdad burning tells the story of a young girl living in iraq when the united states is occupying the country. She describes political, religious, and personal issues, ranging from government assassinations to womens rights. She also remains cool in her commentary about many world events and provides links in her book. Riverbends aim is to raise understanding between iraqis and americans while she stands up against stereotypes on both sides. Girl blog from iraq 2005, was an intriguing, wideranging document, exploring both the mundanities of daily deprivation and the complexities of iraqs political predicament. Top 10 books about the iraq war books the guardian. More girl blog from iraq ebook written by riverbend. Riverbend, the young iraqi woman whose articulate, even poetic prose packs an emotional punch, continues her blog from her hometown of baghdad the new york times. Riverbend, author, aliyah mamduh, author, james ridgeway, introduction by, foreword by ahdaf. This book sets itself far above other books similar to it because it simply is the authors blog printed in a book format. Baghdad burning 2005 is a collection of blog postings by a 24yearold, middleclass iraqi woman who calls herself riverbend. Feminist press at the city university of new york, 2005.
I had visited some of the blogs she did, the angry arab and raed in the middle and juan cole, but i dont think i ever saw hers. Drawn from her popular blog, this volume spans from october 2004 through march 2006. The book version of this blog will have valueadded features. Anyone who cares about the war in iraq must read this book. It is, as yet, unclear whether the donkeys are foreign guerillas who crossed into iraq from one of the neighboring countries, or are actually a part of a local alqaeda cell. In august 2003, the world english gained access to a remarkable new voice. At night, qasiyoun blends into the black sky and the only indication of its presence is a multitude of little, glimmering spots of light houses and restaurants built right up there on the. In this update, chaos has become the routine, and riverbends good humor is almost exhausted. Publication date 2006 topics riverbend, riverbend, insurgency, iraq war, 2003, iraq war, 2003, irakkrieg, junge frau, web log publisher new york. Baghdad burning girl blog from iraq by riverbend author james ridgeway author of. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read baghdad burning ii.
Her book offers quick takes on events as they occur, from a perspective. Once a computer programmer who enjoyed considerable personal freedom, after baghdads fall, riverbend finds herself unemployed and largely restricted to the safety of her familys home. The second installment of riverbends incisive, salty, impassioned observations from wartorn baghdad. The first collection of her blog posts, baghdad burning.
While world leaders debate and the official media embed, the author, a blogger in baghdad, continues her keen reporting on what passes for everyday life in iraq. Shes a girl from iraq and i wish id have found her blog at the time of the invasion. She describes rolling blackouts, intermittent water access, daily explosions, gas shortages and travel restrictions. Oct 10, 2017 the book version of this blog will have valueadded features. Girl blog from iraq riverbend in august 2003, the world gained access to a remarkable new voice.
Calling herself riverbend, she offered searing eyewitness accounts of the everyday realities on the ground, punctuated by astute analysis on the politics behind these events. Riverbend s identity is carefully hidden, but the weblog entries suggest that riverbend is a young iraqi woman from a mixed shia and sunni family, living with her parents and brother in baghdad. Baghdad burning is a quotidian chronicle of riverbends life with her family between april 2003 and september of 2004. Baghdad burning is a collection of entries from the popular iraqi web log girl blog from iraq. In this volume, which covers october 2004 through march 2006, her commentary and analysis deal with topics ranging from the 2004 u. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion on baghdad burning. Baghdad burning offers fair and balanced coverage from inside one of the most rapidly changingand poorly understoodregions in the world. Girl blog from iraq riverbend, author, aliyah mamduh, author, james ridgeway, introduction by, foreword by ahdaf soueif, intro.
August through december 2003 january through march 2004 april through september 2004 presents the internet blog entries of a young iraqi woman living in baghdad as she chronicles the hardships and complexities of daily life and the intricacies of the political situation during the first year of the iraqi 2003 invasion. Thats all you need to know, she wrote on the first day of her weblog, august. The account of baghdad burning is in fact a collection of blog articles, comments, and diary entries by an anonymous iraqi woman who called herself riverbend. Presents the internet blog entries of a young iraqi woman living in baghdad as she chronicles the hardships and complexities of daily life and the intricacies of the political situation during the. Riverbend is the pseudonymous author of the blog baghdad burning, launched august 17, 2003.
Jun 17, 2005 riverbend, girl blog from iraq as she dubs herself, was a computer programmer before the war not any more. Riverbend, the pseudonymous recipient of a lettre ulysses award for the art of literary reportage, continues her chronicle of daily life in occupied baghdad. Riverbends identity is carefully hidden, but the weblog entries suggest that riverbend is a young iraqi woman from a mixed shia and sunni family, living with her parents and brother in baghdad. Northern iraq is full of mountains, but the rest of iraq is quite flat. Riverbend is an iraqi woman of 24 who survived the war. She offered an iraqi womans perspective on the us invasion and the first. Thats all you need to know, she wrote on the first day of her weblog, august 17, 2003. Baghdad burning by riverbend overdrive rakuten overdrive. The book account of baghdad burning is unlike most other novels with characters, plot, and a significant resolution towards the end. Baghdad burning girl blog from iraq riverbend by iva. In august 2003, the world gained access to a remarkable new voice.
Riverbend s existence and identity remain a mystery, but the weblog entries suggest that she is a young iraqi woman from a mixed shia and sunni family, living with her parents and brother in baghdad. Authored by an anonymous iraqi woman living in baghdad and going by the name riverbend online, girl blog from iraq has become one of the most intriguing and insightful voices to emerge from iraq. Once a computer programmer who enjoyed considerable personal freedom, after baghdads fall, riverbend finds herself unemployed and largely restricted to. A former engineer who lost her job after the 2003 u. The work gives a more honest view of what is happening inside a country the united states knew very. Before the united states occupation of iraq she was a computer programmer. Her passion, honesty, and wry idiomatic english made her work a vital contribution to our understanding of postwar iraqand won her a large following. Riverbend, the iraqi woman whose articulate, even poetic prose.
Aug 17, 2003 the book account of baghdad burning is unlike most other novels with characters, plot, and a significant resolution towards the end. Whatever ones view is on the iraq war, whether still fixed or changed from the beginning, baghdad burning i and baghdad burning ii are mustreads. This sequel picks up the story in october 2004before the world knew that americans would reelect george bush. Girl blog from iraq 2005, was an intriguing, wideranging document, exploring both the mundanities of daily deprivation and the complexities of iraq s political predicament. The mountain distracts me, as it does many iraqis especially those from baghdad. In her diary of the occupation, she describes the new, confined way of life. Baghdad burning is a blog by an unnamed woman who calls herself riverbend, sharing the stories of her life during the iraq war. Riverbend s blog baghdad burning began to make waves in late 2003 and quickly became one of the most read iraqi blogs.
Riverbends existence and identity remain a mystery, but the weblog entries suggest that she is a young iraqi woman from a mixed shia and sunni family, living with her parents and brother in baghdad. Riverbend anonymous iraqi womans blog gives a human face to war and. April 9, 20 marks ten years since the fall of baghdad. The second book tells a far more rarely told, but equally vivid, story of those same people coming. This book, baghdad burning i, is the publishing of riverbends blog. Riverbend, girl blog from iraq as she dubs herself, was a computer programmer before the war not any more. Riverbends blog baghdad burning began to make waves in late 2003 and quickly became one of the most read iraqi blogs. Girl blog from iraq edition 1 available in paperback, nook book.
The second volume of riverbends work follows her journey through the extraordinary and mundane of the iraq war that began in her awardwinning book, baghdad burning. Girl blog from iraq by riverbend and james ridgeway overview in august 2003, the world gained access to a remarkable new voice. Apr 11, 2005 riverbend is the pseudonym of a young iraqi blogger. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In august 2003 a young iraqi blogger began reporting her experien. Riverbend anonymous iraqi womans blog gives a human face to war and occupation. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read baghdad burning. In the midst of a foreign occupation and a rising and divisive religious tide, she. The distinctive voice of pseudonymous riverbend shines through this continuation of her blog, from october 2004 through march 2006 2005s baghdad burning won a lettre ulysses award for the art of. The girl narrating the story is a very strong and independent woman. Delaware county district library ohio scanned in china. Baghdad burning in august 2003, the world gained access to a remarkable new voice. Volume 2, october 2004 through august 2006 by riverbend. Girl blog from iraq book online at best prices in india on.