 Iraq before, during and after the war
This was a very interesting book. Not only does the author describe what life was like for the Iraqi people before, during and after the war in their country but we also learn about the perils and conflicts these journalists face when they report from crisis spots around the world.
101 storms over Baghdad
She documented in this book her report before, in and after the 2003 American Iraqi invasion in a grass root level with the Iraqi people.
As an European reporter, she made friends with many locals. With their respect and trust,she was able to write down what they think, see and feel. Shock and awe may initiate a regime change but it is not easy to restore peace and stability despite the huge military and financial power. The Iraqi people can decide what is important: electric power or voting power.
This Baghdad personal journal gives an inside look on the state of affairs in Iraq and how difficult for a woman European reporter tried to get visa extension without dollars. It is an in-depth report from an independent source not available on our daily coverage. The politicians promise of flowers and candies for the incoming soldiers was not materialized and the three parties democracy is not reality. This book helps us understand and evaluate the situation and cost.
 She tells it like it REALLY IS!
I read this book after having read the "Book Seller of Kabul" and was glad i did. Her true-life experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq give an insight into these people and why they have such a love/hate relationship with the American people.
Live from Baghdad . . .
Something of a modern-day Scheherezade, Norwegian journalist Seierstad continued reporting by satellite to TV audiences in Europe during the 101 days preceding and then during the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. For readers interested in the gathering of news in war zones, her book provides extensive insight into off-camera footwork and dealing with bureaucratic and political obstacles that prevent access to the hearts and minds of everyday citizens, her primary interest as a reporter. When the missiles and bombs begin to rain down on Baghdad, the risk of death itself becomes a primary obstacle.
For readers interested in Saddam Hussein's Iraq and the collapse of his government, Seierstad's book reveals what is often forgotten, given subsequent events, that Iraq had been in the grip of terror and decline for 30 years thanks to a ruthless dictator, whose military adventures in Iran and Kuwait cost countless lives and produced economic sanctions that had their severest impact on a shrinking middle class and the poorest citizens. The country had been run into the ground economically, socially, and spiritually long before the American invasion. That Iraq clings to life at all is a testament to the human will to survive.
Americans will not find their military presence in Iraq regarded in the same way that embedded journalists portrayed it at the time. Seierstad gives a mixed picture of "trigger happy" young men on one hand and other soldiers who reflect an ambivalence about the U.S. government's intentions in Iraq. Likewise, there is a wide range of opinion among Iraqis, from those who welcome the invasion to those who see themselves as trading a hated dictator for an army of occupation that cannot maintain security or provide water and electricity, while dreading the prospect of civil war. Meanwhile, bearded foreigners have gathered at Saddam Hussein's request, to begin a campaign of suicide bombings. This is a compelling, illuminating, and disturbing book, written with considerable skill, and a worthy follow-up to the author's "Bookseller of Kabul."
Incredible
The author's honesty and sincerety shine through this tale of the fall of Baghdad. Her portraits of the Iraqi people, both before and after the war, really made them real to me.
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