The Book Collectors of Daraya
A Band of Syrian Rebels, Their Underground Library, and the Stories that Carried Them Through a War
‘This is an urgent and compelling account of great bravery and passion. Delphine Minoui has crafted a book that champions books and the individuals who risk everything to preserve them.’ Susan Orlean, author of The Library Book In 2012 the rebel suburb of Daraya in Damascus was brutally besieged by Syrian government forces. Four years of suffering ensued, punctuated by shelling, barrel bombs and chemical gas attacks. People’s homes were destroyed and their food supplies cut off; disease was rife. Yet in this man-made hell, forty young Syrian revolutionaries embarked on an extraordinary project, rescuing all the books they could find in the bombed-out ruins of their home town. They used them to create a secret library, in a safe place, deep underground. It became their school, their university, their refuge. It was a place to learn, to exchange ideas, to dream and to hope. Based on lengthy interviews with these young men, conducted over Skype by the award-winning French journalist Delphine Minoui, The Book Collectors of Daraya is a powerful testament to freedom, tolerance and the power of literature. Translated from the French by Lara Vergnaud.
'There is no jail that can imprison the free word, nor is there a siege tight enough that can prevent the spread of information.' MAZEN DARWISH, Syrian human rights activist, in a speech given on 23 April 2016, following his release from jail in 2015.
| Autor: | Minoui, Delphine |
|---|---|
| ISBN: | 9781529012323 |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Produktart: | Kartoniert / Broschiert |
| Verlag: | Pan macmillan Ltd. |
| Veröffentlicht: | 12.11.2020 |
| Untertitel: | A Band of Syrian Rebels, Their Underground Library, and the Stories that Carried Them Through a War |
| Schlagworte: | 21st century history: from c 2000 - Asian History BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Social Activists HISTORY / Asia / General HISTORY / Military / Wars & Conflicts (Other) HISTORY / Modern / 21st Century HISTORY / Revolutionary HISTORY / Social History Modern warfare Revolutions, uprisings, rebellions Syria True war & combat stories c 2010 to c 2019 c 2010 to c 2020 |
| Altersempfehlung: | 18 - 0 |
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