Kurdistan: In the Shadow of History

Meiselas assembled an array of historic material creating a collective memory and a vital archive from scattered fragments: An extraordinairy sourcebook. Commentary by Martin van Bruinessen.

YAAThe first page of this unique photodocumentary shows a wide vista in Iraq. The mountains look peaceful and empty of human life. Turning the page, readers see a different reality. Thousands of Kurds with everything they own are refugees once more. This time they flee the aftermath of the Gulf War, but this is not the first time they have fled their homes. Meiselas traced families through these photos and then found more information and pictures as she met new survivors. Thus, Kurdistan acts as both a personal testimony and a historical record. On the human level, the book exposes a terrible history in brilliant photos along with compelling narratives of the long Kurdish struggle. It also serves as an excellent resource for primary-source material. The accounts are from all sides and this challenges readers to form their own opinions. This is an emotionally charged, compelling record that is bound to have a tremendous impact on its readers.ARebecca L. Woodcock, formerly of Alderman Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

At first glance, this history of the Kurds appears to be another coffee-table collection of stunning photographs. But award-winning documentary photographer Meiselas (Carnival Strippers, 1976; Nicaragua, 1981) has created much more than that in this in-depth documentary of the Kurds' struggle for survival and independence over the past 125 years. Chronologically arranged, each chapter begins with a concise historical overview by anthropologist Martin van Bruinessen, who has published extensively on the Kurds. The body of each of the six chapters consists of primary source information from oral histories, diaries, letters, newspapers, memoirs, British and American government documents, and telegrams, all juxtaposed with remarkable photographs. A glossary and short biographies are included. Meiselas has developed a web site (www.akaKURDISTAN.com) as an extension of the book. Although a number of books on Kurdish history have been published recently (e.g., David McDowall's Modern History of the Kurds, LJ 1/96; and Gerard Challiand's People Without a Country; LJ 6/15/93), this volume uniquely combines images and varied textual elements. Recommended for specialized Middle East collections and larger public libraries.?Ruth K. Baacke, Whatcom Cty. Lib. Sys., Bellingham, Wash.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.