Saturday, December 02, 2006

“I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense.”

The Thanksgiving long weekend was actually a treat for me as I also had an opportunity to visit the library which was after a long time!

Usually which ever book IAM looking, I never get those…either the book is gone out or its not available in that particular location…(why it has be to with me always ..LOL)

This time as usual I tried some and then got upset and was turning back when I saw this book lying on the shelf ~ “Amad’s War, Ahmad’s Peace” ; immediately I took a look at it and I just issued this for myself

“Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public.” ~ Winston Churchill

I came home and started reading and believe me I was so hooked on to this book that I got scolding from my friends too! But to everyone’s surprise…the craving was so much that one day I was feeling very uneasy at work and so came home early and guess what…I was able to finish this book :D and friends the sense of achievement is one thing but the learning and awareness about a whole Country people, the culture and thinking of Iraqi people. It’s so much similar to me and you!

“You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” ~ Paul Sweeney

The author Michael Goldfarb ~ this is the first book of his that I am reading but I was so surprised that the author is writing a book through Ahmad. In fact it is a book of Ahmad, who had a very good life in Iraq one time in his childhood, like we all are having now and then how things changed as he matured in the regime of Saddam Hussein. But one thing I like about Ahmad is that he is so sure of his vision and thinking ( which comes all through his eagerness of studying and traveling places). Even the last moment he sticks to his thoughts and the betterment of Iraqi people!

“Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say?” ~ Kurt Vonnequt Jr.

A time came in the book where I thought ~ oh! So after Saddam was caught he might have got some position in the Government. The irony of this book is in the title itself ~ Ahmad’s War, Ahmad’s Peace: Surviving Under Saddam, Dying in the New Iraq

"I never think of the future - it comes soon enough" ~ Albert Einstein

This book really touched me as how much a guy struggles through out in life to see a dawn and in all this he has his love and passion towards a family, a beautiful girl and in all this he has his mission to educate his Iraqi people as education is the only thing that will bring democracy in his country and will make realize people that they are so far behind in everything from the World due to the self motives of there Saddam Hussein

"Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population." ~ Albert Einstein

The best is that in Iraq what we think it’s a Muslim country and all that but this country has people who are Kurds, Sunni Arabs, Shi’a Arabs and even Christians :D
A lot of mention about there culture and the sayings conveys many things about the community but they all have same thinking such as We!

“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.” ~ Steven Weinberg

Can you imagine, Ahmad’s kids were all educated and his daughters were not in scarf or burkha’s/Hijaab’s ! Ahmad, himself was a khurd didn’t believe in God until his old age and his wife Afrah who was an Arab and was very religious muslim but religion never came in between them neither in raising there kids ~ I think we all have such in the family where our one parent is religious and strict and principled and one parent is more practical and still nothing is imposed on us as what should we pick!

“Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble.” ~ Ralph Waldo

I can write on and on about this book and Ahmad but if you read only then you will realize how Iraqi people have suffered and continue to endure!

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." ~ Albert Einstein

This book also shows how the author and his hired translator (Ahmad) became such a close friends like one family, that he dedicated this book for Ahmad's Family

I guess by bringing this post I pay my tribute to Iraqi people for the sufferings and for people around the world who have been kept in dark!
Americans are understandably focused upon the loss of our own blood and treasure as the war in Iraq drags on. But this extraordinary work should remind us that it is the people of Iraq who suffered under Saddam and who continues to bear the brunt of the ongoing carnage

“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” ~ Bible

16 comments:

Manish Kumar said...

Nice review . Noted would love to read it some day.

Anonymous said...

Let's see if I can purchase it. Your review made it interesting. :)

Keshi said...

Seems like a great book to read Dawny. TY!

Yeah life itself is like a good book...it makes more sense with the more chapters u read...so happy reading ;-)

HUGGGGGGGGGZ!
Keshi.

MS said...

Salaam Waleikkum Huzur!!

Yeh kya bahut hi bhaari post likh daala...dil pe patthar rakh ke padhna pada! :)

Btw, am back @ my blog...hehehe...jaiye aur thoda hansiye wahaan par :)

Cheers!!
MS

Anonymous said...

ustad maine ghalib uncle ke sher ki taang tod ke ye bana diya hai
chetan yun kaafir hi ache hain,
waise bhi jannat kis ne dekhi hai
The present state of world is only due to mis interpretation of religion. I dont think any religion says kill human beings if they don't believe in you. BTW, IMO, may be distorted opinion, US invaded Iraq just for Oil.

rachana said...

will be reading this book some day for sure.thanks.

Ekta said...

hey havent heard of this book...but thx to ur post will now try and get my hands on it

krystyna said...

Hi Down!
Very smart post. I like it. Thanks.
I pefer now this:

“You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” ~ Paul Sweeney
Good luck to you!

krystyna said...

and I like this title:
“I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense.”
Great and true!

Pavan Tyagi (पवन त्यागी) said...

It indeed is a great book, very meaningful and reckoning to a great extent...great elaboration....and offcourse a beautiful post!
-blessed blogging

P said...

Loved your review.. will try reading it one of these days...

Vipul said...

Isnt it like life is a stage and we are all the actors!
Yes we are a part of a book
The book of our lives
and yes things that happen are chained to each other
there is a link
If you read the chapters of our life haphazardly maybe you wont understand anything
But if its done in sequence, everything will be so clear and will make sense

Deepak D Jadhav said...

It is really an Irony for people of Iraq, one of the most progressive society in Arab Land with lots of heritage and history is down to rubble because of two idiots and their cronies.

starry said...

Have to read this book.sounds really interesting.thanks for sharing this.My heart and soul goes out to the Iraqui people as well.

Dawn said...

manish: Yes, you should…there’s also a movie which was shooted after Saddam’s fall – Turtles can too fly…something like that
Cheers

virus: Thank you so much…am sure if you read it you will enjoy more :D
Cheers

keshi: Thanks dear! Will keep in mind ;)
Cheers & HUGGGGGGGGGGS

ms: WaleikkumAsalaam janab…kahan pathar janab…aap parhiye to pathar bhi mom bante der nahi lagegi :D…
umeed hai ke aap tike rahenge iss baar :D
Cheers

kumar chetan:
ik vo ke aarazuuo.n pe jiite hai.n umr bhar
ik ham ke hai.n abhii se pashemaan-e-aarazuu
waqai sahi farmaya aapne…!
Shukriya

rachana: Sure..do try!
Thanks & Cheers

ekta: yes dear try sometimes…
Thanks & Cheers

krystyna: Thank you so much dear…
Cheers

pavan: Thank you so much for your kind words dear..
do pray for me :D
Cheers

perspective inc.: Welcome dear, and yes do try when u get a chance…thanks and do come again
Cheers

vipul: Absolutely :D thanks for paraphrasing it in different way!
Cheers

done: OMG..look who’s here…:D its good to see you since ages!
I liked your way of expression…true and the fact
Cheers dear

starry nights: Thank you so much dear…when you say so I feel my writing was worth :D…
do try reading when you get a chance
Cheers dear

Anil P said...

Will need to check this book out now. Thanks for the piece.

We are all different. Don’t judge, understand instead!!!

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