A Hundred And One Days: A Baghdad Journal

by Asne Seierstad

Paperback, 2004

Status

Checked out

Due 4-10-2023

Call number

956.70443

Genres

Collection

Non-Fiction

Publication

Virago Press Ltd (2004), Edition: First edition & printing in this form, 336 pages

Description

Provides a narrative of life in Iraq just before, during, and after the American invasion of March 2003, presenting the opinions and experiences of ordinary Iraquis attempting to carry on some semblance of normal life.

User reviews

LibraryThing member NJO

I really enjoyed The Bookseller of Kabul so I thought I would enjoy this too. It was quite hard to plough through it as most the book is set before the war when journalists were heavily monitored and weren't allowed to ask too many questions. The fact she doesn't speak Arabic is also a hinderance.

Seierstad therefore spends a lot of the book moaning about how tedious this is and how she doesn't trust what people tell her because they are just saying what the regime wants them to say. The most interesting part is written during the fighting and there are some truly chilling sections and it certainly raises questions about the real reason for the war. Sadly this part is over quite quickly as it is the most interesting bit. More of an insight into the life of a war reporter than those of real Iraqis.

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LibraryThing member kakadoo202

very engaging book. you feel you are there.. yes she complains a lot about people not willing to talk but that is part of her story. you feel for her journalist friends. you fear for her getting hurt or killed. you feel for her iraqi friends. it is great that she deliveres a balanced report on the

outcome and not concentrates on one side. very human. made me very humble that someone risks a life to report. i have now a high respect for these war reporters and what they are going through.

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LibraryThing member starbox

"We were tortured mentally by the all-pervading fear", 19 Aug 2014

This review is from: A Hundred And One Days: A Baghdad Journal (Paperback)
I thought this offered an extremely balanced view of the Iraq war: Norwegian reporter Asne Seierstad gives an on-the-spot reportage of her days in Baghdad in

the lead-up to the American invasion. Patrolled everywhere she went, with a government appointed minder; cagey locals who would rarely say anything against Saddam; and a total dictatorship, where every newspaper and TV broadcast is under the authorization of the Ministry of Information.
As the Americans get nearer, most of her fellow reporters flee the country. Trigger happy American soldiers soon alienate the locals, and there are some truly harrowing scenes. Locals are split in their feelings about these invaders: joy at being rid of a fearsome dictator and resentment that a foreign force did the job for them. Excitement about theit new-found freedom and a profound cynicism that it won't lead to civil war :
"We used to have order, fixed points in our existence. Of course our dictator was strict but our people need a firm hand. A strong man. If not we'll capsize and descend into madness."
Very readable account that gives the story behind the war by someone who witnessed it pretty objectively.

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