This unique anthology of Iraqi noir fiction collects fourteen original stories of crime, conspiracy, regret, and revenge in the capital of Iraq.
The centuries-old city of Baghdad has known many rulers, many troubles, and many crimes. But while most Iraqis would agree that their life has always been noir, there has not been a literary tradition to capture this aspect of the culture. By commissioning the fourteen stories collected here-most by Iraqi writers, all by authors familiar with Baghdad-editor Samuel Shimon and Akashic Books have created what may be the first anthology of Iraqi crime fiction ever assembled.
Here you will read of life in Baghdad both during and after the Saddam Hussein era, with stories of fear in the shadow of a ruthless dictator; kidnappings in the time of U.S. occupation; detectives who investigate political conspiracies; and tales of revenge, assassination, mental illness, and family struggle in the war-torn City of Peace.
Baghdad Noir includes brand-new stories bySinan Antoon, Ali Bader, Mohammed Alwan Jabr, Nassif Falak, Dheya al-Khalidi, Hussain al-Mozany, Layla Qasrany, Hayet Raies, Muhsin al-Ramli, Ahmed Saadawi, Hadia Said, Salima Salih, Salar Abdoh, and Roy Scranton.Autorentext
Samuel Shimon was born into an Assyrian family in Iraq in 1956. He is the cofounder of Banipal, the renowned international magazine of contemporary Arab literature in English translation, and the founder and editor of the popular Arabic literary website Kikah. His autobiographical novel An Iraqi in Paris was published in five languages, and he edited Beirut39, an anthology of new Arabic writing.
Inhalt
Introduction
Part I: Murder in the Family
"I Killed Her Because I Loved Her" by Muhsin al-Ramli (Al-Fadhil District)
"Doomsday Book" by Nassif Falak (Hurriya City)
"Jasim's File" by Sinan Antoon (Al-Rashad Hospital)
"A Sense of Remorse" by Ahmed Saadawi (Bataween District)
Part II: Where Is the Trust?
"Baghdad on Borrowed Time" by Salar Abdoh (Gejara)
"Post-Traumatic Stress Reality in Qadisiya" by Hadia Said (Al-Qadisiya District)
"The Fear of Iraqi Intelligence" by Hayet Raies (Al-Waziriya)
"Room 22" by Mohammed Alwan Jabr (Bab al-Sharqi)
Part III: Wake Me Up
"The Apartment" by Salima Salih (Al-Ghadeer District)
"Empty Bottles" by Hussain al-Mozany (al-Thawra City)
"Getting to Abu Nuwas Street" by Dheya al-Khalidi (Bab al-Moatham)
Part IV: Blood on My Hands
"Homecoming" by Roy Scranton (Shorja)
"Baghdad House" by Ali Bader (Al-Rashid Street)
"Tuesday of Sorrows" by Layla Qasrany (Al-Andalus District)