Iraqi woman's Baghdad blog in the running for £30,000 book prize

[Al-khiyal]

"THE 18th-century man of letters Samuel Johnson famously remarked that a woman’s preaching was like a dog walking on its hind legs. “It is not done well,” he told James Boswell. “But you are surprised to find it done at all.”

So he would be doubly shocked to learn that a contender for a £30,000 book prize in his name is not only female, but a diarist who publishes her writing on a device known as the internet:"

An anonymous Iraqi woman has become the first blog author to be in the running for a big literary prize for a book published between hard covers.

Baghdad Burning, by a 26-year-old author who has won an international readership under the pen name Riverbend, is longlisted for the £30,000 Samuel Johnson award. In the list, announced today, she is up against 18 other books including Alan Bennett's latest bestseller, histories of the cold war and the great wall of China, and a biography of the 19th-century cookbook author Mrs Beeton....

Iraqi woman's Baghdad blog in the running for £30,000 book prize

[Al-khiyal]

I’m going to set the record straight, once and for all. I don’t hate Americans, contrary to what many people seem to believe. Not because I love Americans, but simply because I don’t hate Americans, like I don’t hate the French, Canadians, Brits, Saudis, etc.

It’s that simple. I was brought up, like millions of Iraqis, to have pride in my own culture and nationality. I was also brought up to respect other cultures, nations and religions. Iraqi people are inquisitive, by nature, and accepting of different values — as long as you do not try to impose those values and beliefs upon them.

Although I hate the American military presence in Iraq, I don’t even hate the American troops.....or wait, sometimes I do:

Love and hate in Baghdad

[Al-khiyal]

After an internet absence of a few days, I returned to find my inbox flooded with dozens of emails with the subject “Congratulations!!!”. In mid March, “Baghdad Burning” won Best Middle East and Africa blog and received a Bloggie so I thought the sudden surge of congratulatory emails was for that esteemed blog award (we would like to thank the academy…).

But, I was shocked to find out the BOOK “Baghdad Burning” had made the short list for the Samuel Johnson Prize- a prestigious, British award for non-fiction!! I didn’t even know it was on the long list for that award so it came as a huge surprise… I kept telling myself it was some sort of mistake because the other names on the short list are so illustrious but I got confirmation from the British publisher - Marion Boyars.

I’ve been walking around in a bit of a daze since I found out. I feel like it’s all happening to someone else and I have to keep reminding myself of it- while filling the water tanks, while cleaning out the kerosene heaters for storage and while changing the newspaper in the parakeets cage (“I hope you know the person cleaning out your cage is a Samuel Johnson nominee…”)

I just want to say it doesn’t matter if the book wins or loses- just to have it on that list is, in itself, an incredible honor.

[Al-khiyal]

Interview: Iraqi blogger Riverbend