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Baghdad Fixer
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Published:
Halban 2012
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Description

A journalist and her fixer struggle for the truth where truth is now a victim
Nabil al-Amari is an English teacher in Baghdad, in Saddam's Iraq, when a chance encounter with Samara Katchens, an American journalist covering the war, changes his life forever. It is April 2003 and American and British forces have recently invaded Iraq. Samara, or Sam for short, is ambitious, cynical and determined. Nabil is both fascinated and bewildered by her, and he's keen to show her things she doesn't notice in her rush to cover the news. She is pushed by her editor to seek concrete proof for a story concerning payments for false documents - a practice which breaks all journalistic codes of ethics - 'as if truth were so hard in that way, like rocks and concrete'. In Iraq it is rarely so. As Sam single-mindedly pursues this story, she discovers a chasm between her editor's expectations and the reality she faces in a city torn apart by war and conflicting loyalties. And in her determination to uncover the truth, she takes one gamble too many, endangering herself, Nabil and his family.
'... a vivid portrait of Baghdad in the traumatic aftermath of invasion.'
The Guardian
'... spot-on descriptions of both the craft of reporting and the Iraqi landscape during that volatile time make this novel memorable and informative ... for a glimpse of life under the American occupation of Iraq, few could come close to Prusher's portrait.'
Kirkus reviews
'... this compelling debut is easy to recommend to both male and female readers interested in the Middle East, journalistic ethics, and international affairs.'
Booklist
A fascinating story which gives the texture of life in Iraq as it was lived by foreign journalists and Iraqis at the time of the invasion. It conveys a fresher sense of those years than a thousand news reports. — Patrick Cockburn, Iraq correspondent, The Independent
A fast-paced, evocative thriller that opens our eyes to the excitements and dangers of Iraq after the fall of Saddam. This gripping, beautifully-observed tale, written with a ring of true authenticity, captures the challenges of a journalist and her loyal fixer navigating their way through an Iraq rarely seen by outsiders. — Rory McCarthy, author of Nobody Told Us We Are Defeated: Stories from the New Iraq
Ilene Prusher's novel is a compelling account of the first few weeks following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime told through the eyes of a fascinating and gracefully drawn Iraqi everyman... Ms Prusher draws us into his story as he is sometimes unwittingly lured deeper and deeper into the world of war journalism, watching with horror as his country descends into chaos. — Borzou Daragahi, Middle East and North African correspondent, Financial Times
A journalist's fixer is a go-between in so many senses: linguistic, cultural. The fixer straddles borders and boundaries, helping each try to communicate with the Other. Ilene Prusher conjures this so beautifully in her stunning, thrilling debut, as Nabil, an Iraqi English teacher with a poetic soul, is drawn into the unfamiliar, learning as much about his own country and people as about the world in which Samara, the American journalist who has hired him, moves so easily. A unique novel, Baghdad Fixer's compelling plot is combined with poignant and difficult insights into the life and tragedies of ordinary Iraqis during the war. This is not just a wonderful read, it is an important book for helping us, too, to begin to understand the Other. — Tania Hershman, author of My Mother Was An Upright Piano and The White Road and Other Stories

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Format:
Adobe EPUB eBook, Kindle Book, OverDrive Read
Street Date:
11/15/2012
Language:
English
ISBN:
9781905559558
ASIN:
B009K47U50
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Citations
APA Citation (style guide)

Ilene Prusher. (2012). Baghdad Fixer. Halban.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)

Ilene Prusher. 2012. Baghdad Fixer. Halban.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)

Ilene Prusher, Baghdad Fixer. Halban, 2012.

MLA Citation (style guide)

Ilene Prusher. Baghdad Fixer. Halban, 2012.

Note! Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2022. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.
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Date Added:
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Date Updated:
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OverDrive Product Record

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shortDescription
<b>A journalist and her fixer struggle for the truth where truth is now a victim</b><br /><br />Nabil al-Amari is an English teacher in Baghdad, in Saddam's Iraq, when a chance encounter with Samara Katchens, an American journalist covering the war, changes his life forever. It is April 2003 and American and British forces have recently invaded Iraq. Samara, or Sam for short, is ambitious, cynical and determined. Nabil is both fascinated and bewildered by her, and he's keen to show her things she doesn't notice in her rush to cover the news. She is pushed by her editor to seek concrete proof for a story concerning payments for false documents - a practice which breaks all journalistic codes of ethics - 'as if truth were so hard in that way, like rocks and concrete'. In Iraq it is rarely so. As Sam single-mindedly pursues this story, she discovers a chasm between her editor's expectations and the reality she faces in a city torn apart by war and conflicting...
isOwnedByCollections
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title
Baghdad Fixer
fullDescription

A journalist and her fixer struggle for the truth where truth is now a victim
Nabil al-Amari is an English teacher in Baghdad, in Saddam's Iraq, when a chance encounter with Samara Katchens, an American journalist covering the war, changes his life forever. It is April 2003 and American and British forces have recently invaded Iraq. Samara, or Sam for short, is ambitious, cynical and determined. Nabil is both fascinated and bewildered by her, and he's keen to show her things she doesn't notice in her rush to cover the news. She is pushed by her editor to seek concrete proof for a story concerning payments for false documents - a practice which breaks all journalistic codes of ethics - 'as if truth were so hard in that way, like rocks and concrete'. In Iraq it is rarely so. As Sam single-mindedly pursues this story, she discovers a chasm between her editor's expectations and the reality she faces in a city torn apart by war and conflicting loyalties. And in her determination to uncover the truth, she takes one gamble too many, endangering herself, Nabil and his family.
'... a vivid portrait of Baghdad in the traumatic aftermath of invasion.'
The Guardian
'... spot-on descriptions of both the craft of reporting and the Iraqi landscape during that volatile time make this novel memorable and informative ... for a glimpse of life under the American occupation of Iraq, few could come close to Prusher's portrait.'
Kirkus reviews
'... this compelling debut is easy to recommend to both male and female readers interested in the Middle East, journalistic ethics, and international affairs.'
Booklist
A fascinating story which gives the texture of life in Iraq as it was lived by foreign journalists and Iraqis at the time of the invasion. It conveys a fresher sense of those years than a thousand news reports. — Patrick Cockburn, Iraq correspondent, The Independent
A fast-paced, evocative thriller that opens our eyes to the excitements and dangers of Iraq after the fall of Saddam. This gripping, beautifully-observed tale, written with a ring of true authenticity, captures the challenges of a journalist and her loyal fixer navigating their way through an Iraq rarely seen by outsiders. — Rory McCarthy, author of Nobody Told Us We Are Defeated: Stories from the New Iraq
Ilene Prusher's novel is a compelling account of the first few weeks following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime told through the eyes of a fascinating and gracefully drawn Iraqi everyman... Ms Prusher draws us into his story as he is sometimes unwittingly lured deeper and deeper into the world of war journalism, watching with horror as his country descends into chaos. — Borzou Daragahi, Middle East and North African correspondent, Financial Times
A journalist's fixer is a go-between in so many senses: linguistic, cultural. The fixer straddles borders and boundaries, helping each try to communicate with the Other. Ilene Prusher conjures this so beautifully in her stunning, thrilling debut, as Nabil, an Iraqi English teacher with a poetic soul, is drawn into the unfamiliar, learning as much about his own country and people as about the world in which Samara, the American journalist who has hired him, moves so easily. A unique novel, Baghdad Fixer's compelling plot is combined with poignant and difficult insights into the life and tragedies of ordinary Iraqis during the war. This is not just a wonderful read, it is an important book for helping us, too, to begin to understand the Other. — Tania Hershman, author of My Mother Was An Upright Piano and The White Road and Other Stories

sortTitle
Baghdad Fixer
crossRefId
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reviews
      • premium: True
      • source: Publisher's Weekly
      • content:

        September 29, 2014
        Prusher draws on her experiences as a reporter who covered the Iraq and Afghanistan wars for her first novel, an uneven thriller set in 2003 in Iraq after the American invasion. Nabil al-Amari, the middle-class English teacher son of a Sunni father and Shiite mother, is at loose ends when American bombs damage his Baghdad school. Then Nabil becomes the translator for American journalist Samara “Sam” Katchens, for whom he also serves as travel guide, arranger of interviews, and general representative among the local population. Nabil finds his power as societal go-between enjoyable, and begins to fall in love with the spirited Sam. After Sam’s newspaper asks her to verify a fellow journalist’s explosive story claiming an American politician took bribes from Saddam Hussein, Nabil and Sam descend into the criminal, religious, and political underworld of Baghdad. A limpid plot revolving around a potpourri of actual journalistic tempests weakens Prusher’s otherwise immensely engaging portrait of Baghdad society as seen through Nabil’s eyes.

      • premium: True
      • source: Kirkus
      • content:

        October 15, 2014
        Prusher's glimpse at the journalist/fixer relationship in embattled Iraq in 2003 offers an intimate view of how news is collected, reported and, sometimes, slanted.The random shooting of an Iraqi woman in war-torn Baghdad brings together Nabil al-Amari, an English teacher, and Samara "Sam" Katchens, an American journalist camped out at the Hamra Hotel with dozens of other foreign reporters, relentlessly trolling for fresh, new stories. Nabil is fascinated by Sam's fiery hair, brassy attitude and casual dress, all very different from the women in his country. When Sam offers him a job that pays well in a country with little opportunity, Nabil agrees to work as her "fixer"-someone who translates, solves problems, and assists foreign reporters and photographers. At first, Nabil isn't quite sure what to think of Sam; her contempt for American soldiers and simulated empathy when she's after a story confuse him. Then they're pulled off reporting war-related stories to investigate a piece by a famous writer that impugns an important African-American politician who opposes the war. During their investigation, Nabil finds himself drawn to Sam, but soon her recklessness endangers her, himself and everyone he loves. Prusher's spot-on descriptions of both the craft of reporting and the Iraqi landscape during that volatile time make this novel memorable and informative. But, though the author's writing is strong, she weakens her work by including pages and pages of inconsequential details that result in a thriller that doesn't really "thrill" until it approaches the 400-page-plus mark. Still, for a glimpse of life under the American occupation of Iraq, few could come close to Prusher's portrait. A really good book that would have benefited from judicious pruning.

        COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

      • premium: True
      • source: Booklist
      • content:

        November 1, 2014
        Foreign-correspondent Prusher draws on her own experience covering stories in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Turkey in this lengthy first novel. The British-educated son of a doctor, Nabil al-Amari is an English teacher in war-torn Iraq. Bombings have left his school unusable, so he's free to say yes when American journalist Samara Sam Katchens asks him to help her investigate claims that a colleague may have faked a story. Sam is used to hiring fixers locals who provide contacts, grease palms, and fix problems. Literal-minded Nabil is still struggling with the distinction between translating words and interpreting information, but he is fascinated by his headstrong American employer and the way she sees his world. Prusher provides a unique perspective on day-to-day life in 2003 Iraq, and Nabil's first-person narration carries the book. He is genuinely curious about how others see his country and, in trying to understand their perspective, finds his own shifting. Despite its heft, this compelling debut is easy to recommend to both male and female readers interested in the Middle East, journalistic ethics, and international affairs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

popularity
14
publisher
Halban
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      • description: Fiction / General
      • code: FIC032000
      • description: Fiction / War & Military
      • code: HIS027170
      • description: History / Wars & Conflicts / Iraq War (2003-2011)