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Poppies of Iraq by Brigitte Findakly

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Poppies of Iraq

Brigitte Findakly, Lewis Trondheim, Helge Dascher

Drawn & Quarterly Publications · Hardcover · September 5, 2017

Reading lane: Middle East (YA)

A personal account of an Iraqi childhood - appeared on best of the year lists from Kirkus, Guardian, Vulture, Forbes, and more!

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At a Glance

Who It's For

Good for fans of Graphic NovelsGood for readers who enjoy Middle East (YA) and Iraq History.

Book Details

Authors
Brigitte Findakly, Lewis Trondheim, Helge Dascher
Publisher
Drawn & Quarterly Publications
Published
September 5, 2017
Format
Hardcover
Theme
Middle East (YA) · Iraq History
Reading lane
Middle East (YA)

Affinity

Publisher Categories

  • Iraq History

  • Comics Biographies

About This Book

A personal account of an Iraqi childhood - appeared on best of the year lists from Kirkus, Guardian, Vulture, Forbes, and more! Poppies of Iraq is Brigitte Findakly’s nuanced tender chronicle of her relationship with her homeland Iraq, co-written and drawn by her husband, the acclaimed cartoonist Lewis Trondheim. In spare and elegant detail, they share memories of her middle class childhood touching on cultural practices, the education system, Saddam Hussein’s state control,...

Read full description

A personal account of an Iraqi childhood - appeared on best of the year lists from Kirkus, Guardian, Vulture, Forbes, and more! Poppies of Iraq is Brigitte Findakly’s nuanced tender chronicle of her relationship with her homeland Iraq, co-written and drawn by her husband, the acclaimed cartoonist Lewis Trondheim. In spare and elegant detail, they share memories of her middle class childhood touching on cultural practices, the education system, Saddam Hussein’s state control, and her family’s history as Orthodox Christians in the arab world. Poppies of Iraq is intimate and wide-ranging; the story of how one can become separated from one’s homeland and still feel intimately connected yet ultimately estranged. Signs of an oppressive regime permeate a seemingly normal life: magazines arrive edited by customs; the color red is banned after the execution of General Kassim; Baathist militiamen are publicly hanged and school kids are bussed past them to bear witness. As conditions in Mosul worsen over her childhood, Brigitte’s father is always hopeful that life in Iraq will return to being secular and prosperous. The family eventually feels compelled to move to Paris, however, where Brigitte finds herself not quite belonging to either culture. Trondheim brings to life Findakly’s memories to create a poignant family portrait that covers loss, tragedy, love, and the loneliness of exile.

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