The Madman of Freedom Square [Paperback]

Hassan Blasim (Author), Jonathan Wright (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2010

From the Iran–Iraq War through the Occupation, this collection of fictional short stories presents an uncompromising view of the relationship between the West and Iraq, as well as a haunting critique of the postwar refugee experience. Blending allegory with historical realism and subverting expectations in an unflinching comedy of the macabre, these tales manage to be both phantasmagoric and shockingly real. For all the despair and darkness portrayed in these gripping stories—from spotlighting hostage-video makers in Baghdad to following human trafficking in Serbia's forests—what lingers more than the haunting images of war is the spirit of defiance and of indefatigable courage.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hassan Blasim is a writer, a poet, and an award-winning filmmaker. He has written for www.iraqstory.com and his first short story in English was published in Madinah: City Stories from the Middle East. Jonathan Wright has been an Arabic translator for more than 30 years and has worked as a journalist for Reuters international new agency. His first major literary translation was Taxi by Khaled el-Khamissi.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Carcanet Press Ltd.; 1st Ed. edition (April 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1905583257
• ISBN-13: 978-1905583256
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,142,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Bold, brutal words, August 1, 2011

By 

N. lowhim "lowaf" (north carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Madman of Freedom Square (Paperback)

I was looking for a book that was written about occupation Iraq and I found this one. It is an amazing gem of stories and I would recommend it to anyone--even if they are not interested in the Middle East. Most of the stories were merely good; yet all of them managed to paint a haunting landscape that lingers even after the book is closed. This ability to paint the absurd and violent was masterful and revealing of the psychology of any peoples who have been through such trauma. Read this book if you get the chance.