Title: Tribes of the Nahrain
Author: Richard Moore
Publisher: Kindle Books
ISBN: TBA
Pages: 582, Paperback/Kindle
Genre: Historical Novels
Reviewed by: Anita Lock, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
“Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet…” Moore, who worked for the U.S. State Department and was stationed in Kirkuk in 2008, found it ironic that though many Iraqis barely spoke English, they had no trouble quoting this well-known line from Kipling. They reasoned that the U.S. government and Iraqis did not think alike. “The Iraqi experience,” as Moore had discovered, was and still “is not easy to learn,” especially since Iraq, this ancient Biblical area also known as the Nahrain, or the Land of Rivers, is replete with a complex history of tribal and neighboring wars. But when the U.S. government came into the scene with its democratic mindset, Moore asks, if the American government had somehow thought as Iraqis from the start, would it have been different in the past, present and future? This is his challenge to readers as he narrates stories that were told to him and are based on real people, places, and events during the Iraq, Iraq-Kuwait, and Iran-Iraq wars.
The plot opens with a moment in time during the Iraq War. Moore takes readers behind the scenes of the conflict between Sunni insurgents and U.S. Forces. To understand what created this clash, Moore offers a glimpse into the past and into the inner workings of the Ba’athist and Kurdish regimes as well as the people who were oppressed. Each chapter consists of vignettes that feature sheikhs, U.S. and Iraqi leaders, but more often than not, common Iraqi civilians trying to survive. Readers may find that the build-up of characters is a bit random and appears chaotic. To an extent, it ought to evoke unsettledness – imagery, I believe, intended by Moore. However, in the midst of the confusion, Moore masterfully utilizes flashbacks to carefully weave the characters from their past into the present, not only bringing the story full circle, but also giving readers plenty of time to ruminate on their logic.
Tribes of the Nahrain is more than a collection of narratives. It offers an understanding into a deeply rooted and multifaceted culture that is difficult to grasp. As Moore states, “this work is an effort at understanding people and cultures through their perspectives, experience and context.” Kudos to Moore for not only honoring those individuals whose stories have been waiting to be told, but also allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. A must-read, which I highly recommend!
