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Samba Dreamers
By
Kathleen de Azevedo
Publisher:
University of Arizona Press
The Brazil of the imagination is shattered in this novel of two tortured
souls wrestling with the myths of movies, politics and the American
Dream. Laced with fantastic tales of bird-boys, Amazons, and lost
conquistadors, it spins a compelling story of desperation as it reminds
us that American freedom and the myth of unbridled opportunity can
also consume and destroy.
"Samba Dreamers is a brilliant debut and addition to the Latino
literary cannon. ...I couldn't put it down."
—
Virgil Suarez, In the Republic of Longing
"How could I not love an Amazonian ex-con fighting the image
of her mother the famous Brazilian star Carmen Socorro?"
—
Kathleen Alcalá, The Flowers in the Skull
Reviews:
"De Azevedo's vibrant debut novel creates a world through the
strange intersection of Hollywood fantasy and real-world cultural
exchange . . ."
—
Publishers Weekly 1/2/06
"...... richly drawn characters and an imaginative plot that
is as exciting as a wild carnaval parade."
—
Tucson Citizen 3/16/06
"Samba Dreamers" is a dark, fantastical and, indeed, brilliant
cautionary tale .... If Nathanael West had been Brazilian,
"The Day of the Locust" would have looked a lot like "Samba
Dreamers." ..... a remarkable new literary voice.
—
El
Paso Times 7/6/06
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website: Copyright © 2006 Dream
World Media, LLC. / Urban Mozaik Magazine. All rights reserved.
The opinions expressed in Urban Mozaik Magazine are not necessarily
those of Urban Mozaik Magazine and the publisher cannot be held responsible
for them. This website/publication, in whole or in part, may not be
reproduced without written permission from the publisher.
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The Modern History of Iraq
Second Edition
by
Phebe Marr
Published by Westview Press
Written for lay readers and students of the Middle East, The Modern
History of Iraq, places in historical perspective the multiple crises
and upheavals that afflict contemporary Iraq. The book focuses on several
important themes: the search for national identity in a multi-ethnic,
multi-religious state; the struggle to achieve economic development
and modernity in a traditional society; and the political dynamics that
have led to the current dire situation in Iraq. While much remains opaque
about contemporary Iraq because of its closed political system, Marr
has used published sources in Arabic and English, personal interviews,
and frequent visits to Iraq to produce a remarkably lucid and readable
account of the emergence of contemporary Iraq and the forces that have
shaped it.
Reviews:
"Phebe Marr's The Modern History of Iraq, Second Edition is in
fact a new book. This is a tour de force of the history of modern Iraq,
probably the most turbulent history in the 20th century Middle East.
Marr's book provides all the important details of the history of the
first 80 years of the Iraqi nation-state. This is a highly intricate
political, social and economic history, yet Marr's account remains fluent
and lucid throughout. Reading the book is sheer pleasure also because
it brings together profound understanding of the people and the land,
filling many gaps in our knowledge and creating a rich tapestry that
is rarely seen in contemporary historical literature. Marr's book provides
information and explanation for many events that until now were not
fully understood. In places where political loyalties and interests
or inter-communal relations and attitudes were ambivalent and complex,
and there were many such cases in Iraqi history, Marr portrays and analyzes
this ambivalence and complexity skillfully and cogently. This book is
a must for anyone who is interested in the history of Iraq and the Middle
East in general. It is suitable for the general public, but also for
university students and for specialists who want to check their facts.
The book contains a great deal of new information and analysis, particularly
when it comes to the years of Ba'th rule, including Saddam Hussein's
hold over Iraq."
— Amatzia Baram, Professor of Middle East History at the University
of Haifa and Senior Fellow at the US Institute of Peace, Washington,
DC
"This comprehensive work provides a wealth of detail and acute
insights into the evolution of modern Iraq while remaining readable
and clear in style and structure. It should prove indispensable for
academics and students as well as for journalists and policy-makers
seeking to understand the development of contemporary Iraq."
— Bernard Reich, Professor of Political Science and International
Affairs, George Washington University
Praise for the Previous Edition
"The Modern History of Iraq is a solid work of historical research,
well-written and extremely well-organized, rich in content and texture,
compact, easy to read, and totally free of bias.... a clear and readable
one-volume account of the emergence of the new state and the forces
that created it."
— Jerusalem Post Magazine
"(Dr. Phebe Marr's book) is the best one-volume work on Iraq in
English, or in any other language of which I am aware.... the comprehensive
coverage of Iraq's economic and social history, as well as the political,
will be welcome d by people interested in the Middle East, lay and specialist
alike."
— Middle East Journal
"Marr has written an authoritative work that meets a great need:
an up-to-date, readable, and comprehensive treatment of recent Iraqi
history."
— AAPSS Annals
"The author has specialized in the study of Iraq for some years
and this is evident in the authority of the scholarship that is presented
here. Utilizing primary and secondary sources in Arabic and interviews
with key personalities extending over some years, the analysis is sound
and persuasive."
— American Arab Affairs
"A timely, comprehensive, and much-needed modern history of Iraq….
Marr has accomplished an excellent blending of personal interviews,
statistical data, and secondary sources. The book is a must for graduates
students, undergraduates, and the general reader concerned with the
development of insight and understanding of present-day Middle East
problems."
— Choice
"(Marr) has thus produced a fine example of history at its best.
In fact, this may well be the best book on modern Iraq now available…
Moreover, Marr has written her book in a style easily accessible to
students and nonspecialists. The more informed reader will benefit from
the wealth of material brought together in one volume."
— Frank Tachau, University of Illinois, Chicago
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