The Thanksgiving long weekend was actually a treat for me as I also had an opportunity to visit the library which was after a long time!

Usually which ever book IAM looking, I never get those…either the book is gone out or its not available in that particular location…(why it has be to with me always ..LOL)

This time as usual I tried some and then got upset and was turning back when I saw this book lying on the shelf ~ “Amad’s War, Ahmad’s Peace” ; immediately I took a look at it and I just issued this for myself

“Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public.” ~ Winston Churchill

I came home and started reading and believe me I was so hooked on to this book that I got scolding from my friends too! But to everyone’s surprise…the craving was so much that one day I was feeling very uneasy at work and so came home early and guess what…I was able to finish this book 😀 and friends the sense of achievement is one thing but the learning and awareness about a whole Country people, the culture and thinking of Iraqi people. It’s so much similar to me and you!

“You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” ~ Paul Sweeney

The author Michael Goldfarb ~ this is the first book of his that I am reading but I was so surprised that the author is writing a book through Ahmad. In fact it is a book of Ahmad, who had a very good life in Iraq one time in his childhood, like we all are having now and then how things changed as he matured in the regime of Saddam Hussein. But one thing I like about Ahmad is that he is so sure of his vision and thinking ( which comes all through his eagerness of studying and traveling places). Even the last moment he sticks to his thoughts and the betterment of Iraqi people!

“Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say?” ~ Kurt Vonnequt Jr.

A time came in the book where I thought ~ oh! So after Saddam was caught he might have got some position in the Government. The irony of this book is in the title itself ~ Ahmad’s War, Ahmad’s Peace: Surviving Under Saddam, Dying in the New Iraq

“I never think of the future – it comes soon enough” ~ Albert Einstein

This book really touched me as how much a guy struggles through out in life to see a dawn and in all this he has his love and passion towards a family, a beautiful girl and in all this he has his mission to educate his Iraqi people as education is the only thing that will bring democracy in his country and will make realize people that they are so far behind in everything from the World due to the self motives of there Saddam Hussein

“Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population.” ~ Albert Einstein

The best is that in Iraq what we think it’s a Muslim country and all that but this country has people who are Kurds, Sunni Arabs, Shi’a Arabs and even Christians 😀
A lot of mention about there culture and the sayings conveys many things about the community but they all have same thinking such as We!

“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you’d have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.” ~ Steven Weinberg

Can you imagine, Ahmad’s kids were all educated and his daughters were not in scarf or burkha’s/Hijaab’s ! Ahmad, himself was a khurd didn’t believe in God until his old age and his wife Afrah who was an Arab and was very religious muslim but religion never came in between them neither in raising there kids ~ I think we all have such in the family where our one parent is religious and strict and principled and one parent is more practical and still nothing is imposed on us as what should we pick!

“Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble.” ~ Ralph Waldo

I can write on and on about this book and Ahmad but if you read only then you will realize how Iraqi people have suffered and continue to endure!

“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” ~ Albert Einstein

This book also shows how the author and his hired translator (Ahmad) became such a close friends like one family, that he dedicated this book for Ahmad’s Family

I guess by bringing this post I pay my tribute to Iraqi people for the sufferings and for people around the world who have been kept in dark!
Americans are understandably focused upon the loss of our own blood and treasure as the war in Iraq drags on. But this extraordinary work should remind us that it is the people of Iraq who suffered under Saddam and who continues to bear the brunt of the ongoing carnage

“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” ~ Bible