Disappearance in damascus book

A disappearance in damascus by deborah campbell, 9781250147875, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Winner of the hilary weston writers trust prize for nonfiction winner of the freedom to read award winner of the hubert evans prize in the midst of an unfolding international crisis, renowned journalist deborah campbell finds herself swept up in the mysterious disappearance of ahlam, her guide. The first answer, as campbell explains in her gripping new book, a disappearance in damascus, is in locating a good fixer. Life in a police state, through the searing story of a refugees disappearance iraqi refugees attending the opening ceremony of ahlams school in damascus, in 2007. A disappearance in damascus won the 2016 hilary weston writers trust prize for nonfiction. This riveting true story of a remarkable relationship between 2 womenthe awardwinning canadian journalist deborah campbell and ahlam, an iraqi woman working as a fixer for western media in syria as it plunges. Disappearance in damascus tells ahlams remarkable story of tragedy and resilience while situating her experience within the larger context of the war in iraq. A disappearance in damascus is the story of a journalist. The story begins in 2007, when deborah campbell travels undercover to damascus. Although the countrys civil war had yet to start, syria was a dangerous place. Two women, caught in the vortex of syrias police state.

Friendship and survival in the shadow of war, the reader has more than an inkling of what will befall her. Campbells frank, personal account of a journey through fear and the triumph of friendship and courage is as riveting as it is illuminating. Friendship and survival in the shadow of war 9781250147875. Early on in a disappearance in damascus, campbell warns against the imperial impulse to create policies that affect people while knowing almost nothing of who they are or.

Campbell has guest lectured at harvard, berkeley, zayed university in dubai, and the national press club in washington. A disappearance in damascus ebook by deborah campbell. A disappearance in damascus strikes a deft balance between the present and the recent past. The subject of her story is ahlam dreams in arabic, an iraqi woman who campbell hires as a fixer in. A disappearance in damascus is a wonderfully informative, engaging, and effortless read. In a disappearance in damascus, the journalist deborah campbell. The author powerfully conveys ahlams plight behind bars, injecting stark brutality into a story hitherto characterized by uncertainty and angst, and ushering the reader into a terrifying hidden dimension. A disappearance in damascus deborah campbell macmillan.

A disappearance in damascus, the second book from canadian cultural immersion journalist deborah campbell, swept canadas nonfiction prizes in 2016, garnering the hilary weston prize, the hubert evans prize, and the freedom to read award. Buy this book journalist campbell spotlights the life of. In the midst of an unfolding international crisis, the renowned journalist deborah campbell finds herself swept up in the mysterious disappearance of ahlam, her guide, fixer, and friend. Deborah campbell has effectively captured the current political situation as it exists in syria and iraq. After i finished reading a disappearance in damascus, i felt such an overwhelming feeling of sadness.

This book has won the hilary weston writers trust prize for nonfiction, the freedom to read award, and the hubert evans prize. A disappearance in damascus book clubs, book clubs around the world, books, healing books, health books, uncategorized, wellness books book clubs around the world, even for americans abroad. In this compelling, moving book, deborah campbell unearths so much of what could have disappeared in damascusthe outcome of the. A disappearance in damascus a story of friendship and survival in the shadow of war book. A disappearance in damascus is a true story, but the truths go deeper than just the disappearance of a fixer and a friend. Ahlam has fled her home in iraq after being kidnapped while running a humanitarian center. A disappearance in damascus chronicles the reallife story of ahlam, an iraqi refugee who is abducted by the syrian secret police, and the attempts by the author, deborah campbell, to find her. In 2007, deborah campbell travels undercover to damascus to report on the exodus of iraqis into syria, following the overthrow of saddam hussein. Winner of the hilary weston writers trust prize for nonfiction winner of the freedom to read award winner of the hubert. A disappearance in damascus friendship and survival in the shadow of war by deborah campbell. A disappearance in damascus by awardwinning journalist deborah campbell is a captivating account of how her reporting on the iraqi refugee exodus into damascus in 2007 led to the mysterious. Last year, a disappearance in damascus won the hilary weston writers trust prize for nonfiction, which honors the best nonfiction book published in canada. Campbells captivating writing allows readers to see inside the life of a foreign correspondent and the bonds forged and. The author powerfully conveys ahlams plight behind bars.

In damascus, a chilling mystery with a personal connection. A disappearance in damascus navy general library program. Friendship and survival in the shadow of war by deborah campbell. There she meets and hires ahlam, a refugee working as a fixerproviding western media with trustworthy information and contacts to help get the news out. Campbells frank, personal account of a journey through fear and the triumph of friendship and courage is as riveting. Campbell was exceedingly lucky in finding ahlam, herself an iraqi refugee, but after they had worked together for months, her fixer, who was by then her friend, was seized by the syrian authorities.

Campbells awardwinning book starts in 2007, when she went to damascus to cover the influx of refugees fleeing iraq in the wake of husseins downfall. Campbells frank, personal account of a journey through fear and the triumph of friendship and. A disappearance in damascus is the story of a journalists hunt for. Disappearance in damascus friendship and survival in the shadow of war book. A disappearance in damascus relates an unsettling true story with journalistic adroitness and novelistic flair. Throughout the book, doyle remains open and candid. Deborah campbells a disappearance in damascus is both a taut detective. While institutional efforts may improve protection for fixers, a disappearance in damascus illustrates how individual conscience and courage may also be necessary to confront the dangers of bringing news from hot spots around the world. Gripping, inspiring, and at times intensely sorrowful, a disappearance in damascus provides a portrait of tremendous courage and resourcefulness within the community of iraqi war survivors in syria, the devastation war wreaks upon civilians, and a remarkable friendship between two women.

Her new book, a disappearance in damascus, is an absorbing testament to how successful that approach can be when undertaken by a sympathetic, informed, and committed investigator. A disappearance in damascus is the story of a journalists hunt for a kidnapped iraqi colleague the thriller, mystery novelquality of this true story will keep readers turning pages. Laurie hertzel, minneapolis star tribune a disappearance in damascus relates an unsettling true story with journalistic adroitness and novelistic flair. It offers a detailed, personal look at the consequences of disruptive. A story of friendship and survival in the shadow of war 9780345809292. This important book opens our eyes to the lives of the people who are trying to find peace in a world of chaos. I began this book knowing nexttonothing about modernday syria, and fearing i might be left in the dust of political nuances i could not comprehend. There she meets and hires ahlam, a refugee working as a fixer providing western media with trustworthy information and contacts to help get the news out.

A foreign correspondent who has written for publications including the economist and foreign policy, campbell hired a fixer to help find reliable contacts and in ahlam met a. A disappearance in damascus book tacoma public library. A disappearance in damascus npr coverage of a disappearance in damascus. Friendship and survival in the shadow of war is the fascinating account of both ahlams story and campbells life posing as a professor while working as an undercover journalist in syria. The suspense in campbells investigation of ahlam is never overplayed. A disappearance in damascus book contra costa county. Renowned nonfiction writer deborah campbell, who has traveled throughout the middle east to write difficult and illuminating stories about the middle east, depicts an intensely personal story about one of her syriabased fixers in her new book, a disappearance in damascus knopf, canada.

The thriller, mystery novelquality of this true story will keep readers turning pages. Read a disappearance in damascus friendship and survival in the shadow of war by deborah campbell available from rakuten kobo. A disappearance in damascus by deborah campbell penguin. A disappearance in damascus is a personal and unexceptional story in many ways, but in being told in that manner it reveals much about the character of the syrian state than newspaper stories or even the books that have attempted to tell the story of the war. Given that ahlam serves as the focus of a book titled a disappearance in damascus. We rarely hear the stories of womens courage in the face of danger. Life in a police state, through the searing story of a. A disappearance in damascus book ottawa public library.

In the midst of an unfolding international crisis, renowned journalist deborah campbell finds herself swept up in the mysterious disappearance of ahlam, her guide and friend. A disappearance in damascus friendship and survival in the shadow of war book. A disappearance in damascus is vivid, provocative and timely. In the midst of an unfolding international crisis, renowned journalist deborah campbell finds herself swept up in the mysterious disappearance of. Review of a disappearance in damascus by deborah campbell. In the midst of an unfolding international crisis, the renowned journalist deborah campbell finds herself swept up in the mysterious disappearance of ahlam, her. Friendship and survival in the shadow of war deborah campbell. The story begins in 2007, when deborah campbell travels undercover to damascus to report on the exodus of iraqis into syria, following the overthrow of saddam hussein. Winner of the hilary weston writers trust prize for nonfiction. The author powerfully conveys ahlams plight behind bars, injecting stark brutality into a story hitherto characterized by uncertainty and angst, and ushering the reader into a. A disappearance in damascus by by deborah campbell. While researching an article on refugees living in syria, campbell needed help understanding the local culture and locating sources to interview. Friendship and survival in the shadow of war won the 2016 hilary weston writers trust prize for nonfiction.