This is the true personal story of four generations of the Chalabi family whose lives intersected with the historical and political changes which prevented and complicated the establishment of the modern day country of Iraq. The Chalabi family lived through some of the most challenging and horrific events in the past 100 + years of Iraqi history. Dr. Tamara Chalabi provides an unprecedented view of everyday life through the crystalline lenses of her family's oral history and her meticulous research, conducted in various libraries which provided the accurate historical basis and backdrop to their lives..This book helps the reader understand how political changes wrought within a country and the forces of world events impact the lives of individuals. She guides the reader to understand how her highly influential family participated in administrative roles in various local and national governmental posts from the Ottoman Empire, to World War I and the British Occupation of Iraq to when King Faisal, of the Hashemite clan and a direct descendent of the Prophet, was established as leader of Iraq. The author provides insights as to how Saddam Hussein came into power and the strangle hold his Baath Party and his rule had on the people of Iraq. This book will help the reader understand how and why the struggle for freedom of people half-way around the world should matter to us.
This book is most impressive in how the author weaves the lives and personalities of key family figures throughout the book into a cohesive whole within the complex history and politics of Iraq. Many family figures seem larger than life, in their accomplishments on a personal business level and in the the important roles they played both on the local and national government levels. I truly enjoyed reading about her great grandfather Abdul Hussein's lifestyle and management of the family's pomegranate and citrus orchards. He held individual conferences with local men who brought their problems before him, to administer and solve, which marked his status as a local leader. It was a role he inherited from his father and grandfather before him. Abdul Hussein had a balanced view of World War I regarding Turkey which had entered this war on the side of the Germans. His wisdom and restraint were evident as he aired his views which influenced the community. His influence on local politics makes for great reading. King Faisal in the 1920s had offered him the post of Minister of Education which he accepted. It was the king's attempt to help the neglected Shia community. After Abdul Hussein accepted the post, he was banished from attending the local mosque and shrine because a fatwa was declared against anyone dealing with the British occupying forces. The British had a strong influence in the region and had occupied Iraq after World War I. By accepting the post, he was accused of religious heresy. The Sunnis who were more pragmatic and less extremist in their poltical views, despite being in the minority, gained more power as a result. The stage for religious disputes was set along with the political conficts which inevitably followed ...
One of the most outstanding figures in the book is the author's grandmother named Bibi. From the descriptions of her engagement, marriage and early family life, along with her eccentricities, and her love of life and strong influence on her children's values, the reader gains an understanding about the strength and importance of this highly regarded family member. The author shares many fascinating stories which hook the reader, creating a spell-binding experience where the reader wants to know more about individual family members and how they built their lives during the peaceful times and tumultous times in the country of Iraq. It is difficult to capture and convey in a review the essential human interest stories which makes this book so wonderful and captivating. The reader gains an admiration of how the culture and values which shaped this family provided the foundation which helped them survive and thrive after their escape from tyranny in 1958. They built new successful lives in London, then Lebanon and later for the author, in Jordan. Despite the loss of their homeland due to a coup d'etat, key family figures kept in touch with what what was happening in Iraq. Most amazingly, it is the author's father, Ahmad Chalabi who helped form the Iraqi National Congress, a group which opposed Saddam Hussein and sought to overthrow him. The author visited Iraq, her ancestral homeland, with her father who later became a leading political player who helped form a future democratic government in Baghdad. Even today, her father remains a controversial politician of great influence in helping to shape the future of Iraq. This book is a major accomplishment and a valuable contribution to helping outsiders understand how politics and world events affected this family. This book is most highly recommended. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]
