Throughout the war in Iraq millions of people turned to Rageh Omaar?s BBC reports from Baghdad. Omaar was the BBC?s official correspondent in Iraq for six years prior to the conflict. He had watched the suffocation of Iraqi society after a quarter of a century of dictatorship and then, in March 2003, he witnessed the last desperate hours of peace before the bombs fell. His unique and haunting narrative captures the moment when twenty-five agonising years came to an end and a country was changed for ever: ?Suddenly, Baghdad was a city frantically preparing for war. The central Shorja market had stubbornly remained its usual busy self for months. The main concerns of shoppers had been finding the best prices for cola and cans of tomato puree. In one day the market was transformed into a sea of desperate faces trying to buy up the last remaining oil lamps, masking tape and boards to protect windows from being blown in. I had never seen the market like this before. It was as though the people of Baghdad had awoken from a state of absolute denial. Adnan Mustapha Hamid, a young restaurant manager, was typical of the many that thronged Al Shorja that day. ?I know the British and Americans say they will spare civilian targets? , he said, ?but few of us believe them.? Writing from the heart of Baghdad, Omaar follows the war from its beginning to its aftermath: he describes the atmosphere among the people on the night the first bombs hit; the horror they felt as they watched their city burn; the anarchy and unforgiving heat that overwhelmed the country in the battle?s wake. Beautifully written and almost unbearable in its detail, Revolution Day is a powerful account of a city and its people under siege, and of a conflict at the very centre of our world.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
If, like me, you were (and still are) compelled to observe the recent terrible events unfold in Iraq you will want to read this book. At the time of the 'revolution' I waded through a mass of media trying to find out what exactly what going on and how it was affecting the Iraqi people. Rageh Omaar's brilliant pieces on BBC Newsnight were among the most responsible, honest and emotionally charged examples I encountered. Having had the opportunity to flesh out his account in book form he does not disappoint. His immersion in Iraqi culture, his commitment to honest journalism and the huge depth of his research must make this the definitive account of that terrible period of world history. This is the story of everyday people surrounded by suffering, corruption and violence on an almost unimaginable scale. It is his reporting of the daily struggle of life on the street for the ordinary citizen that sets it apart from other accounts. I imagined myself there amongst it all, an automatic victim by virtue of my nationality. That is what made it so compelling. I read it in two sittings and will refer back to it constantly as events continue to unfold. Thoroughly recommended.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
as a belated christmas present this book is hard to beat. rageh omaar was unmissable during the short gulf war and here he shows why, using all his skills as a reporter and latter day celebrity to take us, the unsuspecting reader, into the labyrinthine world of saddam's iraq, a journey if you chose to so say into the heart of darkness. glib as he is mr omaar has much to say about iraq and the reason why invasion had to happen. terrible as war is the alternatives are often worse. do i have reservations? about the war yes.about this book? no. none. it is as good as i expected. keep it up mr omaar. my only quibble are the maps. these are of a poor quality compared with the quality of mr omaar's text. also i would have liked a glossary to explain the terms.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Dr. V. Stewart
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Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Of all the books written about the horrific and terrifying mess we have made of Iraq, this has to be one of the best ever. The author's strength is that he lived in Iraq before the coaliation invaded; as an Arabic speaker he was able to move amongst the ordinary folk and tell their stories. He has no illusions about Saddam's regime, nor about what followed; he tells it as he saw it, in writing so clear that its skill would be a pleasure to read were his subject not so awful. I cannot recommend this book too highly; the simple and direct speaking of truth to power.
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