About book A Hundred And One Days: A Baghdad Journal (2006)
I really enjoyed this book by Norwegian reporter Asne Seierstad. It was honest and eye-opening. In The Bookseller of Kabul, I found Seierstad to be an exceptionally perceptive and balanced journalist, and I think she was equally successful at presenting facts in a very human way and avoiding moral judgments in A Hundred and One Days.The book consists of three sections: “Before” [the war], “During” and “After.” As I began the book, I wondered how much the average Iraqi had supported Saddam Hussein and what they really thought of the American invasion – and especially whether, after the invasion, they had viewed Americans as the heroes we saw depicted on TV. Of course, reading the book revealed that these questions were simplistic: most people were fearful of speaking to a western journalist while Saddam was still in power, each person’s opinion was different, especially depending on whether they were Sunni or Shia, and even if they disliked Saddam, many strongly resented the foreign invasion. Iraqi friends argued with each other about the Americans and the war, and their views were fascinating to me.Equally fascinating was Seierstad’s recounting of being a war correspondent in Iraq. Her descriptions of a reporter’s government-appointed “minder” always being a few feet away when they were broadcasting live, making sure rules such as not using the word “dictator” were followed, was surprising to me (I had never considered the degree to which the journalists were made to follow the government’s rules (and often tried to skirt them) prior to the actual fall of Saddam). She does not sugarcoat her indecision about whether to stay in Iraq for the duration of the war or downplay the fear she felt for her own safety after she decides to stay, or her horror and despair at some of the atrocities she sees. She manages to be matter-of-fact while conveying these strong emotions.Sadly but not surprisingly, light is also thrown on the trigger-happy, frightened and often inexperienced American soldiers by foreign correspondents traveling with the troops. Again, Seierstad reports, but leaves concluding judgment to the reader.
I have mixed personal feeling about this book. The writing and the way it flows is great. I have never been a supporter of Bush's war in Iraq, but I knew that the fear and torture that the iraquis endured will under Saddam had to be stopped. I never understood why the iraqui people were so fond of saddam but after reading this book i understood, that with fear you can suppress your people. That loving saddam is tought in the schools and how he is EVERYWHERE. It also shows how most of the middle class iraquis where not aware of the atrocities that saddam committed on his people. Of course here in the US we only saw how the army was advancing, and running out all of Saddam's men, but we never saw how the "heroes" win their way into the city. This book depict a lot of details of women and children (innocent people) where killed without a second thought. How the US army said they were only going to target Saddam's HQ but it seems like they had a few slip-up and bombing civilian homes. How most of our 'heroes' didn't even know the reason why they where in iraq, they just knew they had a job to do. it is truly sad to read and know that a lot of innocent children where brutely killed.
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Excellent account of the author's interviews with Iraqi nationals and regime members, as well as what the people were going through and what she experienced during the time leading up to the US invasion of Iraq, during fighting to take Baghdad, and after the arrival of US troops. This is the first completely truthful and unbiased journal I've read, that describes the extreme terror and domination the Iraqi people endured for years under Saddam Hussein's rule and again, during and after his fall when the Bush Administration began the war with Iraq under the pretext of freeing the country of the Dictator who was hiding WMD's. This missive provides insight into the minds of the Iraqi's and why so many of the populace, as well as other Muslim "brothers" hate the US...while many citizens were glad Saddam was finally eradicated, many understandably came to hate the country (and its people) who came in to free them but instead caused more death and destruction of innocent people, and eventually threw the country into heightened chaos and longstanding civil war.I recommend this book as a must read for anyone interested in the perspective of an unbiased journalist, on the impact of the Iraq war on the Iraqi people.
—Barbara
Åsne Seierstad is a freelance Norwegian journalist who has spent time in various trouble spots in the world. This book is about time she spent in Baghdad, before, during and after its invasion by America and the UK in 2003.Most of the book centres on the lead up to the invasion. It was difficult for journalists to stay in Iraq, and there are long descriptions of the administrative machinations she goes through in order to retain her visa. She faces difficulties at every turn... endless promises
—Caroline
A Hundred and One Days is Norwegian journalist Asne Seierstad's account of her time in Baghdad before, during and after the second Gulf war.There are a few things which make this an excellent account of that time. Firstly, this is very much Seierstad's own story and the machinations of trying to be a foreign journalist in a totalitarian country and in a war zone were very interesting.Secondly, I found the book very moving. The bombing of the market is especially harrowing although it is not written in a sensationalist style.Finally, I liked the ambiguity of the book. There is no place here for the notion that to be anti-war is to be pro-Saddam. Saddam's brutality is laid out clearly but so is the horror of the invasion and the power vacuum which followed.
—Fiona Squires
