MWSA Book Review

Iraq: Providing Hope

Authors: Eric Holmes & Michael Parkhouse

Publisher:  Timberwolf Press

Reviewer: Bill McDonald – President of the MWSA

A Collection of Stories from 50 people involved with Rebuilding Iraq

The book “Iraq: Providing Hope” is a fascinating collection of interesting and at times, even provocative, personal life experiences from 50 people involved with the rebuilding efforts of Iraq. Eric Holmes and Michael Parkhouse put this anthology into a logical and emotional order that helps the reader get a better sense of what is happening in Iraq.

There are no other books like this out there on the present world situation. It offers first hand observations of the mundane and sometimes the frightful events going on. This is not just a military tale of war but a telling of the human experience from both military and civilian point of view.

The stories are woven together like a huge jigsaw puzzle. It is the totality of all the pieces of this historic puzzle that gives you a much bigger and more focused perceptive of what this whole effort in Iraq is all about. This multi-viewed story telling is like looking at an aerial photo of a battle field for an understanding of what has happened. The editing smoothly ties it all together so that it moves and flows with energy and keeps the reader’s interest throughout the book.

This book needs to be read by people trying to understand the mission and the purpose of what the USA is doing in Iraq. It gives you a view that you are not getting in the media today. Put this book on your reading list!

MWSA's 2006 Silver Medal Award for Anthology