The Nightingale by Morgana Gallaway

Guatemama@evpl — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:04:00 GMT

In her stunning debut, Morgana Gallaway delivers big with The Nightingale, a story of love and hope amid the horror of war torn Iraq. Simultaneously giving a glimpse into the daily lives of Iraqi citizens and shining a spotlight on the atrocities and inhumanity unleashed by Americans upon the detainees of war, Gallaway effortlessly weaves a tale of one young woman's courage, conviction, and tough choices as she pursues her dreams in the face of unthinkable circumstances.

Leila al-Ghani wants nothing more than to become a doctor and to be "modern" and wear the fashions of the Western world, but her role as the youngest daughter in a traditional Iraqi/Muslim family dictates a much more traditional style of dress and sooner or later an arranged marriage to a cousin she abhors. So when the opportunity arises for her to work in the field of medicine Leila does not hesitate to take the job, despite the fact that it is a job as a translator in the hospital of the American Army base. Taking great lengths to hide the true nature of her work from her father and the insurgents- at great personal risk, Leila thrives in her new role and befriends many Americans including James, a Captain with the Special Forces unit. But just as the relationship between Leila and James is heating up, so, too, is the hostility of the war and the insurgency, forcing Leila to choose where her true loyality lies.

Will she follow her dreams and betray her family? Will she decimate her new friends for the love of her father? Who can she trust? Who has already betrayed her? Will she live long enough for any of it to matter?

"The War Within : a Secret White House History, 2006-2008" by Bob Woodward

MediaPhile@evpl — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 23:38:00 GMT

We will soon have a new President making decisions about the war in Iraq. So is this book ancient history? Unfortunately, the answer is no.

I had read all three of Bob Woodward's previous books about the Bush White House, starting with Bush at War in 2002, followed by Plan of Attack in 2004, then State of Denial in 2006. So when the fourth and final volume in the Bush series was published earlier this year, I got on the hold list. The War Within is primarily about the downward slope toward civil war in Iraq and the contentious decision to implement the Surge in the spring of 2007.

A lopsided majority of Americans now think that it was a mistake to go to war in Iraq. But there is still speculation about whether we can get out without duplicating our tragic experiences with Vietnam.

Here Woodward pieces together the deliberations of various top level players in Defense, the military, the State Department, the White House, the Iragi government, and various Iraqi factions concerning the 2007 decision to send additional troops to secure vital regions in Iraq. Most would agree that the Surge has worked; the question becomes once again whether or not our withdrawal will just see Iraq fall back into chaos.

Woodward doesn't give us a failsafe plan for the future -- but at least he acquaints us with how complicated the withdrawal of troops might become. And he gives flesh to some of those who will be involved with the pullout, including current (and possibly future) Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Books Blog : iraq

The Nightingale by Morgana Gallaway

"The War Within : a Secret White House History, 2006-2008" by Bob Woodward