Johnny West has lived in this area for the past decade and speaks fluent Arabic, and so has the skills and ability to talk to everyone from security guards to revolutionaries, from families of protestors, some of whom have been killed, to oil workers, to cafe owners, lawyers, barbers and clerics. Travelling on public buses, visiting with families, hanging out in shops and cafes, he brings out for all of us what made ordinary people erupt, what happened to them during those days and now, what their hopes, fears and dreams are, how they see us in the West, how each country is different but how they see themselves as part of a joint Arab culture, before Islamists. Johnny West's long experience in the area enables him to set all this in context, while never losing the vividness of a travel book or the characters of a novel. This is not a political treatise but a journey of discovery - of people, of places, of life under extraordinary circumstances - which this book allows us to share and makes one feels as if one had been there.
Karama! Journeys through the Arab Spring
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'John West, a former Reuters correspondent in Cairo, plunges into this confusion with bright-eyed curiosity and a natural storyteller's appreciation of disconcerting detail. His tendency to pick up the threads of cafe conversation takes him into strange corners scarcely noticed by news reporters' Financial Times.
'Descriptions will resonate for anyone who knows the region ... West adds spine-chilling veracity to his narrative whilst at the same time giving a voice to those who have often fearfully chosen to remain silent' Wanderlust.
'Descriptions will resonate for anyone who knows the region ... West adds spine-chilling veracity to his narrative whilst at the same time giving a voice to those who have often fearfully chosen to remain silent' Wanderlust.
From the Back Cover
The Arab Spring took all of us by surprise. The questions we all have are how can such leaderless revolts, so different from others in the past, have arisen, why there, and why now. Johnny West is the perfect guide on this quest. Returning to countries in which he had lived years before, he travels by bus and communal taxi through the back streets and small towns and sits in houses and cafes, in offices and barber shops, a fly-on-the-wall observer of encounters and arguments; he talks to students and managers, to protestors and their families, to oil workers and clerics, to people and in places where none of the media have been. Through all the conversations across Libya, Tunisia and Egypt, the author draws us into an exhilarating portrait of unforgettable characters of the Arab Spring and shares with us how they see their future. Karama! makes you feel you are there, in those dusty streets, and that you understand why those thousands and thousands created the Arab Spring.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating insight- highly recommended, no previous knowledge of the Middle East required to enjoy the book
9 Aug 2011
By zararah
Format:Paperback
As someone who's never been to the Middle East, my impression of the Arab Spring was drawn from a bombardment of news reports; despite realising the importance of the events, it was very difficult to properly identify with the millions of people who had triggered this incredible revolution.
This changed with Karama. The book introduces us to a wide range of individuals, some who are by now fairly well known- the family of Khaled Said, for example- and others, whose stories would not otherwise have been told. We meet courageous 20-somethings who have been transformed into national heroes, and read the astonishing story of an unspoken truce between police and civilians during daylight hours which was replaced by violent warfare at night, and pages later we encounter an old-school army superior, convinced that Mubarak had it right. There are seemingly mundane events, such as journeys in shared taxis and coffees on street corners, which give us an insight into the views of "ordinary" people, combined with run-ins with the army at checkpoint and horrific stories from torture victims; perhaps an insight into the huge diversity of events happening in the Middle East at the moment.
Reading so many different perspectives on the Arab Spring from those who were there, those who took part (or actively didn't take part) and those who are now living in the consequences of the revolution, was fascinating. Instead of providing a political analysis into the events, West offers an unashamedly subjective account, and it is for this reason that the book is so unique amongst the mountain of reading material already available about the revolution.... Read more ›
This changed with Karama. The book introduces us to a wide range of individuals, some who are by now fairly well known- the family of Khaled Said, for example- and others, whose stories would not otherwise have been told. We meet courageous 20-somethings who have been transformed into national heroes, and read the astonishing story of an unspoken truce between police and civilians during daylight hours which was replaced by violent warfare at night, and pages later we encounter an old-school army superior, convinced that Mubarak had it right. There are seemingly mundane events, such as journeys in shared taxis and coffees on street corners, which give us an insight into the views of "ordinary" people, combined with run-ins with the army at checkpoint and horrific stories from torture victims; perhaps an insight into the huge diversity of events happening in the Middle East at the moment.
Reading so many different perspectives on the Arab Spring from those who were there, those who took part (or actively didn't take part) and those who are now living in the consequences of the revolution, was fascinating. Instead of providing a political analysis into the events, West offers an unashamedly subjective account, and it is for this reason that the book is so unique amongst the mountain of reading material already available about the revolution.... Read more ›
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A refreshing and insightful perspective from the front line of the politicall movements shaking and shaping our worldview
27 Aug 2011
Format:Paperback
Never more so than in the wake of the most recent reports from the frontline in Libya, many of us find it difficult to make sense of the chaotic mixture of exhilarating hope and guilty trepidation about the future inspired by the Arab Spring.
In his account, West deals not in the discourse of overly politicized commentary, glib remarks around the table at dinner parties, nor drily objective reporting, but in the everyday observations of a man with an evident and sincere affection for this complex region. The author by no means shies from exposing the rough with the smooth & the inherent naivety of the heady expectations of the revolutionaries is often left clear to see. The account is all the richer for presenting the keen perceptions of someone who has built a slow and steady acquaintance with this region, rather than the fleeting crisis-chaser looking for a quick headline. The author in fact himself admits an awkward progression in his relationship with the Middle East, from the early stage of infatuation and inevitable `attraction-to-the-Other', through mild disappointment and resulting in a deep sense of familiarity - a journey surely familiar to all those who have stumbled upon absorbing passions for mesmerizing yet bewildering parts of the world.
Through the lens of everyday issues, garnered through conversations snatched not in government ministires or press pens but in coffee shops and grocery stores, (such as the wounded pride of the legions of 45-year old Tunisian men living at home and still extracting pocket money from their parents) we begin to look on the genesis of the eventual explosive events in Tahrir Square from a new angle.... Read more ›
In his account, West deals not in the discourse of overly politicized commentary, glib remarks around the table at dinner parties, nor drily objective reporting, but in the everyday observations of a man with an evident and sincere affection for this complex region. The author by no means shies from exposing the rough with the smooth & the inherent naivety of the heady expectations of the revolutionaries is often left clear to see. The account is all the richer for presenting the keen perceptions of someone who has built a slow and steady acquaintance with this region, rather than the fleeting crisis-chaser looking for a quick headline. The author in fact himself admits an awkward progression in his relationship with the Middle East, from the early stage of infatuation and inevitable `attraction-to-the-Other', through mild disappointment and resulting in a deep sense of familiarity - a journey surely familiar to all those who have stumbled upon absorbing passions for mesmerizing yet bewildering parts of the world.
Through the lens of everyday issues, garnered through conversations snatched not in government ministires or press pens but in coffee shops and grocery stores, (such as the wounded pride of the legions of 45-year old Tunisian men living at home and still extracting pocket money from their parents) we begin to look on the genesis of the eventual explosive events in Tahrir Square from a new angle.... Read more ›
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By andrewkirk
Format:Paperback
The best read I've had in a long time. Very fresh - this was written and published very quickly. Lots of first-hand accounts, voices of people who were there and involved. Also a lot of insight from the author - this is someone who really knows what he is writing about. A snapshot in time, because things have already moved on, but this will stand as an inspirational read, however things turn out, becuase of the optimism and strength of the voices that come through.
By Adil Hussain
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Decent read for anyone wanting to get a feel for the thoughts, feelings and aspirations of those on the ground - in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya - who took part in the Arab uprising last year. Though the book is not conclusive as to why exactly the protests succeeded this time round in toppling those in power (Mohammed Bouazizi and Khalid Said cited as catalysts in the case of Tunisia and Egypt respectively) nor where these three nations are headed (creating jobs and restoring order cited as high concerns), it can't be held as a criticism of the book as that is not the author's objective. I found the first two parts on Tunisia and Egpyt much better reads than the third part on Libya, which seemed rushed and contained less characters (and more facts and stats and stuff!) than the first two parts. Overall: good, simple to read, easy to follow insight into some of the thoughts, feelings and aspirations of those on the ground before, during and immediately following the uprising.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A very impressive on-the-ground account of the Arab Spring and its immediate aftermath, peppered with brilliant, intimate detail and first-hand accounts. If I have one criticism, it's that the author or publisher might have waited until the Libyan Civil War had come to its conclusion, as this last part of the book feels unfinished. I appreciate that at the time of writing, the outcome (ie, Gaddafi's capture and execution) couldn't be known, but the result of publishing the book while everything was still up in the air is that it feels a little rushed out, almost a cash-in, and I'm sure - or at least I'd hope - that this was never the intention. Otherwise, this is well-written and insightful, and admirably balanced, particularly in the chapters dealing with Egyptian Islamism. If I could give it 4.5 stars, I would, as my point about the Libyan section of the book is a very minor one, and could be resolved in a future, revised edition of the book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
encounters with the revolution
This an interesting and enjoyable account of the author's travels in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, after the first days of the revolutions in each of those countries, and his... Read more
Published 13 months ago by markr
5.0 out of 5 stars
Karama
Service excellent, arrived quickly and in perfect condition. The book is a must read! It cuts through the bias often influencing the media.
Published 20 months ago by Mrs. J. A. Radford
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