Night Draws Near
Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War
By Anthony Shadid; Anthony Shadid (Read by)
(Macmillan Audio, Compact Disc, 9781593977887)
Publication Date: August 11, 2005
Other Editions of This Title: Paperback, Hardcover
Categories: Media Studies, Middle East - General, Military - Iraq War (2003-)
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From the only journalist to win a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting from Iraq, here is the riveting account of ordinary people caught between the struggles of nations.
Determined to offer an unfiltered version of events, the Washington Post’s Anthony Shadid was neither embedded with soldiers nor briefed by politicians. Because he is fluent in Arabic, Shadid—an Arab-American born and raised in Oklahoma—was able to actually disappear into the divided, dangerous worlds of Iraq. Day by day, as American dreams clashed with Arab notions of justice, he pieced together the human story of ordinary Iraqis weathering the terrible dislocations and tragedies of war. Through the lives of Sunnis and Shiites, men and women, American sympathizers, and outraged young men newly transformed into martyrs, Shadid shows us the journey of defiant, hopeful, resilient Iraq. Moving from battle scenes to subdued streets enlivened only by the call to prayer, Shadid uses the experiences of his characters to illustrate how Saddam’s downfall paved the way not only for democracy but also for an Islamic reawakening and jihad. NIGHT DRAWS NEAR—as compelling as it is human—is an illuminating and poignant account from a reporter whose coverage has drawn international attention and acclaim.
ANTHONY SHADID has reported from throughout the Middle East for a decade, first as Cairo correspondent for the Associated Press and then for
the Boston Globe where he drew attention for reports from the West Bank
and other fronts. His first book, Legacy of the Prophet drew praise from the late Edward Said. At the Washington Post his stories have appeared daily on page one. For his work in Baghdad he has received the Overseas Press Club Award (his second), the Michael Kelly Award, and last April was given the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. He currently lives in Baghdad and Washington.
For more than seven years, Americans learned about the war from news reports. But between headlines, many also turned to books to understand the strategy and the lessons of the conflict. As "Operation New Dawn" begins, Thomas Ricks picks the best and the worst books about the Iraq war. More at NPR.org
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2004 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting Citation for Anthony Shadid's "Extraordinary ability to capture, at personal peril, the voices and emotions of iraqis as their country was invaded, their leader toppled, and their way of life upended."
"He has achieved nothing short of authoring the first classic, indispensable account of the Iraq War." --The American Prospect












