| 9781250147875 |
| (hardcover) |
| 1250147875 |
Available:*
Library | Material Type | Call Number | Shelf Location | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... East Library | Book | 956.704431 CAMP | Nonfiction | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
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 and friend. Campbell's frank, personal account of a journey through fear and the triumph of friendship and courage is as riveting as it is illuminating.
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. 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. Ahlam has fled her home in Iraq after being kidnapped while running a humanitarian center. She supports her husband and two children while working to set up a makeshift school for displaced girls. Strong and charismatic, she has become an unofficial leader of the refugee community.
Campbell is inspired by Ahlam's determination to create something good amid so much suffering, and the two women become close friends. But one morning, Ahlam is seized from her home in front of Campbell's eyes. Haunted by the prospect that their work together has led to her friend's arrest, Campbell spends the months that follow desperately trying to find Ahlam--all the while fearing she could be next.
The compelling story of two women caught up in the shadowy politics behind today's most searing conflict, A Disappearance in Damascus reminds us of the courage of those who risk their lives to bring us the world's news.
Author Notes
DEBORAH CAMPBELL is an award-winning writer who has reported from many countries around the world, including Iran, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Mexico, Cuba and Russia. Her work, much of which involves spending long periods of time in the societies she covers, has appeared in Harper's , The Economist , The Guardian , New Scientist , and Foreign Policy , and she is the recipient of three National Magazine Awards for her foreign correspondence. A Disappearance in Damascus won the 2016 Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-Fiction. Campbell has guest lectured at Harvard, Berkeley, Zayed University in Dubai, and the National Press Club in Washington. She teaches at the University of British Columbia.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Journalist Campbell spotlights the life of an exceptional Iraqi woman, Ahlam, who was her guide and companion as she reported for Harper's magazine in 2006 about the years following the fall of Saddam Hussein. Campbell, who was assigned by the magazine to write about the exodus of displaced Iraqis into Syria, here explores the lethal factions and political minefields in Syria at the time, and recalls recruiting Ahlam as a "fixer" to secure information for her. Ahlam had already been captured, pistol-whipped, and tortured back in Iraq by insurgents for performing intelligence work for Americans, so Campbell particularly admired her for continuing to do the same dangerous job in Syria. When Ahlam is detained by the Syrian government for her work with Campbell, whom the Syrians suspect of being a Mossad or CIA agent, Campbell embarks on a quest to secure her release. The author's devotion to her friend will open hearts as Campbell and Ahlam's family try every option to gain her freedom. Campbell's work is an informed, fascinating account of one courageous source. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* In 2007, Campbell meets Ahlam in Damascus while reporting on Iraqi refugees in Syria. Ahlam is a highly recommended and well-educated fixer: an interpreter and guide who can help journalists find sources and make connections. A refugee herself, Ahlam fled Iraq after she had been kidnapped and threatened for her work with American soldiers. In Damascus, Ahlam sets up a school for young girls and continues working with foreign journalists. Her work is risky, as the government fears American interference in Syria. During Campbell's return to Damascus for a new story, Syrian authorities arrest Ahlam. Campbell struggles to find where Ahlam is being held and on what charges, but there seems to be no way for her to help. A Disappearance in Damascus, winner of Canada's 2016 Hilary Weston Writer's Trust Prize for Nonfiction, tells Ahlam's remarkable story of tragedy and resilience while situating her experience within the larger context of the war in Iraq. Campbell's captivating writing allows readers to see inside the life of a foreign correspondent and the bonds forged and broken through investigative reporting.--Chanoux, Laura Copyright 2017 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Acclaimed journalist Campbell first met Ahlam in Damascus while on assignment to cover the growing unrest in Syria. Their friendship is the focus of this title. The first part of the book moves seamlessly between Ahlam's personal history and her work as a fixer for Western reporters, including Campbell. While Ahlam was the first person from her village to get a university degree, she couldn't afford to leave her country and use her education. Her job assisting foreigners during the Iraqi War drew negative attention, leading her to flee to Syria, where she became a leader within the refugee community. The second half of the book focuses on Ahlam's kidnapping, specifically how Campbell reconciles that she may have been the cause of her friend's disappearance, and what she and others do to try to find their companion. VERDICT Captivating and emotional, this book centers more on the story of Ahlam than that of the author, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the refugee experience and feel their uncertainty amid the chaos. For readers interested in current events, strong female friendships, and the ongoing crises in the Middle East. [See Prepub Alert, 4/3/17.]-Heidi Uphoff, Sandia National Laboratories, NM © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Table of Contents
| Prologue | p. 1 |
| Part 1 | |
| 1 Exodus | p. 5 |
| 2 The Fixer | p. 19 |
| 3 The Apartment | p. 40 |
| 4 The Death Division | p. 51 |
| 5 A Free Bird | p. 61 |
| 6 Friendship | p. 80 |
| 7 Another Country | p. 98 |
| 8 Ahlam's War | p. 105 |
| 9 A Small Triumph | p. 125 |
| 10 Assassins | p. 133 |
| 11 Damascus in Winter | p. 137 |
| Part 2 | |
| 12 These Dark Times | p. 161 |
| 13 The Disappearance | p. 180 |
| 14 The Cage | p. 189 |
| 15 Officialdom | p. 201 |
| 16 The Fixer's Fixer | p. 213 |
| 17 Alone Together | p. 220 |
| Part 3 | |
| 18 Ahlam's Story, Part One | p. 231 |
| 19 We Accept Everything | p. 240 |
| 20 Ahlam's Story, Part Two | p. 246 |
| 21 Beirut | p. 252 |
| 22 The Children | p. 262 |
| 23 Unexpected Revelations | p. 270 |
| 24 Ahlam's Story, Part Three | p. 277 |
| 25 Failure | p. 287 |
| Part 4 | |
| 26 Ahlam's Story, Part Four | p. 293 |
| 27 Adaptation | p. 307 |
| 28 Aftermath | p. 313 |
| 29 Exile | p. 320 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 325 |
| Notes | p. 327 |
| Bibliography | p. 336 |
