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Baghdad Burning

... I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend...
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By riverbend
Written by river on Apr 2, 2006

Nomination...

After an internet absence of a few days, I returned to find my inbox flooded with dozens of emails with the subject "Congratulations!!!". In mid March, "Baghdad Burning" won Best Middle East and Africa blog and received a Bloggie so I thought the sudden surge of congratulatory emails was for that esteemed blog award (we would like to thank the academy...).

But, I was shocked to find out the BOOK "Baghdad Burning" had made the short list for the Samuel Johnson Prize- a prestigious, British award for non-fiction!! I didn't even know it was on the long list for that award so it came as a huge surprise I kept telling myself it was some sort of mistake because the other names on the short list are so illustrious but I got confirmation from the British publisher - Marion Boyars.

I've been walking around in a bit of a daze since I found out. I feel like it's all happening to someone else and I have to keep reminding myself of it- while filling the water tanks, while cleaning out the kerosene heaters for storage and while changing the newspaper in the parakeets cage ("I hope you know the person cleaning out your cage is a Samuel Johnson nominee...")

I just want to say it doesn't matter if the book wins or loses- just to have it on that list is, in itself, an incredible honor.

Baghdad Burning (Feminist Press)

Baghdad Burning (Marion Boyars)

- posted by river @ 11:23 PM

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