Saddam Hussein is an Iraqi leader born in 1937 who became president in 1979. He is remembered for strengthening the oil industry in Iraq as well as its military. To maintain power, he often used brutal measures that eventually cost him his life at the hands of Iraqi government. In 2006, he was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity that he was executed for in Dec 2006. What most people do not know about him is that he was an author of several Saddam Hussein books.
There is a total of four books and several poems published by Saddam. All his work was anonymously published under the pen name-the author. The list of his works includes Men and City, Begone, Demons, Zabibah and the King and The Fortified Castle. Some of his works found their way into the Iraqi schools curriculum. After his death, most of them became best sellers.
Zabibah and the King is a romance novel written by Saddam Hussein and published anonymously in 2000. The characters include Arab, the protagonist, Zabibah, Zabibahs husband, Hezkel, Shamil and Nuri Chalabi. Although the novel has a romantic theme, it is intended to be as an allegory with the protagonist being Hussein. Zabibah is a poor woman unhappily married who the Arab seems to like. She represents the people of Iraq.
The relationship between Zabibah and her husband is unloving and cruel. At one point he rapes her, which is believed to represent Iraqs invasion. As a result, the husband is an allegory to the United States. Hezkel, Nuri and Shemel represent other perceived enemies of Iraq such as Israel, Jews and merchants. The novel sold over a million copies and proceeds donated to charity.
The other novel authored by the former Iraq leader is Men and the City. Published in 2002, it is third of his books to be published. Men and the City is slightly different from the others as it is more of an autobiography. It tells the story of Husseins grandfather and his war to defeat the Turks of the Ottoman Empire. Some people say that this book was ghostwritten but evidence exists to dispute this.
The third novel by Hussein is the Fortified Castle. Like almost all the others, its an allegory as well as a political metaphor. It was published in the year 2001 and tells the story of a delayed wedding. The protagonist is an Iraq war hero called Sabah getting married to a Kurdish girl. The war hero participated in the significant Iran-Iraq war and was left wounded.
Begone, Demons, a basically a translation of Get out of here while Cursed You is the fourth but also last novel authored by Saddam. It was written in 2003 in anticipation of the Iraq war. It got published much later in 2006 in Tokyo by a Japanese-based publisher. Since then, it has only been translated into Turkish and no other translations exist.
Saddam Husseins books are significant in the historical period in Iraq during the time they were written. In addition, they are significant to the former leader and his country since they were written when his demise had already begun. They are an outpour of strength, hope and ignorance.
There is a total of four books and several poems published by Saddam. All his work was anonymously published under the pen name-the author. The list of his works includes Men and City, Begone, Demons, Zabibah and the King and The Fortified Castle. Some of his works found their way into the Iraqi schools curriculum. After his death, most of them became best sellers.
Zabibah and the King is a romance novel written by Saddam Hussein and published anonymously in 2000. The characters include Arab, the protagonist, Zabibah, Zabibahs husband, Hezkel, Shamil and Nuri Chalabi. Although the novel has a romantic theme, it is intended to be as an allegory with the protagonist being Hussein. Zabibah is a poor woman unhappily married who the Arab seems to like. She represents the people of Iraq.
The relationship between Zabibah and her husband is unloving and cruel. At one point he rapes her, which is believed to represent Iraqs invasion. As a result, the husband is an allegory to the United States. Hezkel, Nuri and Shemel represent other perceived enemies of Iraq such as Israel, Jews and merchants. The novel sold over a million copies and proceeds donated to charity.
The other novel authored by the former Iraq leader is Men and the City. Published in 2002, it is third of his books to be published. Men and the City is slightly different from the others as it is more of an autobiography. It tells the story of Husseins grandfather and his war to defeat the Turks of the Ottoman Empire. Some people say that this book was ghostwritten but evidence exists to dispute this.
The third novel by Hussein is the Fortified Castle. Like almost all the others, its an allegory as well as a political metaphor. It was published in the year 2001 and tells the story of a delayed wedding. The protagonist is an Iraq war hero called Sabah getting married to a Kurdish girl. The war hero participated in the significant Iran-Iraq war and was left wounded.
Begone, Demons, a basically a translation of Get out of here while Cursed You is the fourth but also last novel authored by Saddam. It was written in 2003 in anticipation of the Iraq war. It got published much later in 2006 in Tokyo by a Japanese-based publisher. Since then, it has only been translated into Turkish and no other translations exist.
Saddam Husseins books are significant in the historical period in Iraq during the time they were written. In addition, they are significant to the former leader and his country since they were written when his demise had already begun. They are an outpour of strength, hope and ignorance.
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