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Imperial Life in the Emerald City

Inside Baghdad's Green Zone
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( 6,626 ratings, 686 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran offers a vivid depiction of the American occupation of Baghdad's Green Zone following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The book provides an insider’s view of the administrative challenges and the often surreal experiences of those tasked with rebuilding the country amidst political and cultural missteps. It highlights the contrasts between the insulated life within the Green Zone and the chaotic reality outside its borders.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might find this book fascinating if you're interested in the behind-the-scenes realities of the American-led administration in Baghdad, revealing the complexities and contradictions of life within the Green Zone during the Iraq War. It offers an insightful look at the challenges and surreal experiences encountered during the occupation, blending history with compelling storytelling.

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Imperial Life in the Emerald City

From inside a surreal bubble of pure Americana known as the Green Zone, the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority attempted to rule Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. This work tells the story of this ill-prepared attempt to build American democracy in a war-torn Middle Eastern country.

Imperial Life in the Emerald City won the BBC 4 Samuel Johnson Prize for non #45;fiction, 2007

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

From inside a surreal bubble of pure Americana known as the Green Zone, the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority attempted to rule Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. Drawing on interviews and internal documents, Rajiv Chandrasekaran tells the memorable story of this ill-prepared attempt to build American democracy in a war-torn Middle Eastern country.

The book details not only the risky disbanding of the Iraqi army and the ludicrous attempt to train the new police force, but also absurdities such as the aide who based Baghdad's new traffic laws on those of the state of Maryland, downloaded from the net, and the twenty-four-year-old who had never worked in finance put in charge of revitalising Baghdad's stock exchange.

Imperial Life in the Emerald City is American reportage at its best.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Imperial Life in the Emerald City is highly regarded for its compelling narrative and incisive critique of the American occupation of Iraq, blending elements of black comedy with insightful journalism. Reviewers praise it as a meticulously researched and well-written account, exposing the mishandlings and absurdities of the post-invasion period. Through its gripping storytelling, the book provides a profound understanding of the occupation's disastrous consequences.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780747592891

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 March 2008

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Rajiv Chandrasekaran is an assisting managing editor of the Washington Post, where he has worked since 1994. He previously served the Post as a bureau chief in Baghdad, Cairo and Southeast Asia, and as a correspondent covering the war in Afghanistan. He recently completed a term as journalist-in-residence at the International Reporting Project at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, and was a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center. He lives in Washington, D.C.

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