<DIV><DIV>There are many books on Iraq, but few that explore the thoughts and feelings of the Iraqi people as they deal with occupation. <I>Guardian</I> Foreign Correspondent Rory McCarthy spent more than two years there; his stunning account brings to light the stories of the people caught up in the conflict. In May 2003, journalist Rory McCarthy went to Iraq to cover what was announced to be the triumphant rebuilding of the country after the American invasion. Two years later, he left a place teetering on the brink of civil war, whose inhabitants longed for the Americans to leave, but feared what would happen if they did. Throughout his stay, McCarthy was struck by how little the Iraqi viewpoint was represented in the media, drowned out by the American and British occupying powers. This book is an attempt to rectify that. By telling the stories of the Iraqis he came to know, McCarthy gives us a moving, powerfully insightful.</DIV></DIV>