My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
I Lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern War Story
by
Michael Hastings (Goodreads Author)
I Lost My Love in Baghdad is an extraordinarily gripping and informative account of the chaos inside the Green Zone by Newsweek's youngest war correspondent, whose fiancee was killed during an attempted kidnapping.
Hardcover, Large Print, 439 pages
Published
July 18th 2008
by Gale Cengage
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
266)
I picked this one up at the dollar store. Something was bugging me the whole time I read it, and then I realized what it was: from page one, you know the author's girlfriend is going to die in Baghdad, and you might expect her, or their relationship, or Baghdad, to be the central focus of the book. Instead, you get a synopsis of Michael Hasting's career as a war correspondant. A large portion of the book is him recounting the stories he's filed, the imbeds he's been on, etc, interspersed with...more
It has been nine years since a book kept me up all night, reading. Then it was Angela's Ashes. Last night it was I Lost My Love in Baghdad by Michael Hastings. The title doesn't do justice to this Iraq War memoir/love story of a journalist and an activist, both freedom fighters in their respective ideals and goals. Andrea Parmahovich was killed when the convoy she was a passenger in was ambushed by Islamic extremists as she left a meeting that was aimed at fostering communications with Iraqi lea...more
This was a tough book to read but I'm glad I found it during one of my random searches of the library shelves. Hastings' account of his time reporting in Iraq puts the day-to-day realities of life for residents and soldiers in your face. And it ain't pretty. It made me embarrassed about little I've understood what was happening over there. I don't think I'm the only one but it has me wanting better information and a clearer sense of why we're doing what we're doing from our leaders going forward...more
Wow. This is a really illuminating look at life in Iraq. For those in the story it is dramatic, frightening, intense, and yet important enough to remain in the country. Tears fled my eyes when Andi died - alongside the others in her convoy. I hate death. I hate it when people kill people. AH! All the more motivation to love one's enemies - not to get something from them exactly, but to bring them into the liberty of love where hatred is gross, vengeance is silly, and destruction is unappealing. ...more
I didn't realize I hadn't added this book here, and I don't remember exactly when I read it, but it has definitely stayed with me. Michael Hastings has since stirred up a ton of controversy (and probably not coincidentally has become an even better writer). My first exposure to him, and my reason for reading this book, was listening to him talk about Andi on Rachel Maddow's radio show, and I immediately picked this book up from the library. The title is a bit misleading - the book is about 25% o...more
Great writing. Gripping story.
I would've found it stupid if it was just the love story, because these two people seemed immature and untrustworthy. The author is gutsy, I guess, for putting it all out there. I wouldn't have. I don't understand or agree with the journalistic view that ALL of a story needs to be told for it to be true.
I was very much caught up in the book, though, for it's honest depiction of the mess in Iraq. This is excellent for its depiction of...more
I would've found it stupid if it was just the love story, because these two people seemed immature and untrustworthy. The author is gutsy, I guess, for putting it all out there. I wouldn't have. I don't understand or agree with the journalistic view that ALL of a story needs to be told for it to be true.
I was very much caught up in the book, though, for it's honest depiction of the mess in Iraq. This is excellent for its depiction of...more
I will be traveling to Baghdad this Fall and, like Hastings, will leave behind loved ones and a relationship. I can relate to the feelings that he has; being torn between being in love and the desire to contribute to "something" through a meaningful career. I respect the way Hastings honors his fiance's memory by writing about her passion, aspirations and courage.
There are points in the book, however, that he should have thought through a bit better. There is no way so...more
There are points in the book, however, that he should have thought through a bit better. There is no way so...more
The scope of the tragedy that the war in Iraq has become is revealed with numbing deliberateness in Michael Hastings’ heartbreakingly personal narrative, I Lost My Love in Baghdad. It is one man’s tale of personal loss juxtaposed to the sufferings of a nation in the midst of “low-intensity civil-strife” that leaves war-fatigued American troops with little to do but hope to survive. This recollection of nearly two years of in-country correspondence would not please our country’s leaders on...more
The title is really just the hook to get you in. I'd say only 25% of it is dedicated to the autobiographical love story of Andi and Michael, the rest is about Middle Eastern politics, how Michael became a reporter, life in Baghdad, and all the many horrible things he saw while over in Iraq.
I was a little disappointed at first to realize that this was just another war book, cleverly disguised as a romance of sorts, but once I got past that, I decided to keep reading to gain a better ...more
I was a little disappointed at first to realize that this was just another war book, cleverly disguised as a romance of sorts, but once I got past that, I decided to keep reading to gain a better ...more
view 2 comments
You know from the prologue (or hell, from the cheesy title) exactly what's going to happen in this book.
But Michael Hastings' tale of how it happened is still gripping. This memoir has some of the best first-person writing I've seen about the U.S. role in Iraq. (I suppose it doesn't hurt that he's a journalist by trade -- both for his writing skills and my personal interest in his field.)
It's painful but worth it.
(Um, for me, as a reader. Not him, as a person....more
But Michael Hastings' tale of how it happened is still gripping. This memoir has some of the best first-person writing I've seen about the U.S. role in Iraq. (I suppose it doesn't hurt that he's a journalist by trade -- both for his writing skills and my personal interest in his field.)
It's painful but worth it.
(Um, for me, as a reader. Not him, as a person....more
Something was bothering me throughout the entire book and I think it was that there was too much war and not enough love story. I was interested in this book because although I didn't know Andi, I live in the area she grew up. It was nice to get a sense of reality about Iraq but I found myself skimming through some of that to get to the parts about Andi which was not much of the book. I still consider it a good read if you like war stories.
I know I know. WHY would I read this book? Morbid fascination I guess. I don't know what my problem is...but it left me thoroughly disturbed and so sad. Pretty much confirmed what Jaylon and I have thought about the war in Iraq all along. I'll be looking for something more upbeat to read now! If you decide to read this there is a ton of bad language in it- true war language.
I really liked this book. Hastings has caught a significant amount of crap for it not being more relationship oriented (and a different title might have helped there), but the reality is that this isn't a book about love- it's about the costs of war, and the people who are really footing the bill.
I'll give you a hint- it isn't the politicians.
I'll give you a hint- it isn't the politicians.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
At times the writing is choppy, but the underlying love story between Hastings and his doomed fiance propels the story forward. The information and perspective into everyday life in Iraq gives one a better understanding of the war. Hastings flow improves as the book progresses, and the ending made me cry. I admit it.
I won't say it's a horrible book, I just couldn't connect myself with it.
From page one I knew that Michael's girlfriend was going to die. And to be honest the book's main focus was more on author's life as a war correspondent than on his relationship with Andi.
And my reaction was literally same as the image below whilst reading the last chapter of this book.
From page one I knew that Michael's girlfriend was going to die. And to be honest the book's main focus was more on author's life as a war correspondent than on his relationship with Andi.
And my reaction was literally same as the image below whilst reading the last chapter of this book.
An incredible story. The writing - when focused on the war - is good.
Michael never quite convinced me on the strength of his and Andi's relationship. Why put yourself in danger for someone you obviously don't trust? Parts of the book, especially the emails and text messages, were hard to get through without crying.
Andi was my mentor in the college relations office during my freshman year of college. She was funny, confident and -as a senior to my freshman - intimidating ...more
Michael never quite convinced me on the strength of his and Andi's relationship. Why put yourself in danger for someone you obviously don't trust? Parts of the book, especially the emails and text messages, were hard to get through without crying.
Andi was my mentor in the college relations office during my freshman year of college. She was funny, confident and -as a senior to my freshman - intimidating ...more
This was sad...I agree with what many have said though, and that is that I wish more of the focus was on Michael's girlfriend. A lot of the focus of the book was on the intricacies of the war and Michael's duties as a reporter. I didn't feel as connected to his girlfriend as I wanted to. Still...definitely makes you think.
Wouldn't read for the love story, it is a little too matter-of-factly written. But gives an interesting look into the war
I saw this author (a young man) being interviewed one morning on t.v. about his girlfriend (fiance) being killed in Iraq and that he had written a book to honor her memory. He looked so sad and lost. He cried but he smiled whenever they showed her picture during the interview. This intrigued me to find the book and read it. This is a sweet little love story set in modern war torn Iraq. I'm still trying to decide if this man capitalized on this tragedy by writing a book or if the book was hi...more
'I lost my love in Baghdad : A modern war story' by Michael Hastings is a poignant war tale. It is written in journal style - with a spattering of the 'f' word - which unviels the author's emotions to me in a raw,passionate composition. The horrors of the Iraq war are depicted in a very real, undramatic and compelling way. The authors lady love Andi appears to be young, heart ruled head,totally in love and very very normal young girl, who followed her lover to Baghdad and lost her life there in ...more
This novel rips away the red curtain and the wool over the eyes of the world on what truly happens in the Iraqi war. The story told by Michael Hastings an embedded journalist and the love of his life Andi Parhamovich an humanitarian aide will run you through a gauntlet of emotions ending with anger! Anger at American government, Iraqi government and the unfairness of that which is life. This story is what happens when love innocence looks and falls into the abyss of death and devastation that is...more
This is quick read. Terribly sad but beautiful story.
W.O.W.
This book was really sad. I learned a lot. I feel like I have been a little bit naive on what is really going on in Iraq. I feel like after reading this book I have more knowledge of what is truly going on there. It wasn't really well written. You can tell the author is a journalist and not a novelist. He is just trying to get his story out there. He wants to keep his love with Andi alive and by writing this book and sharing their story he feels like he is. I highly recommend this book.
A fascinating and honest account of life in Baghdad for a young couple, a journalist (the author) and an idealistic young NGO worker, whose tragic death at the hands of an insurgent attack is the book's focal point. I couldn't put it down. It's really written in the parlance of our times, and that made it very real and enjoyable for me, and a new way to experience what's gone on in Iraq. The story itself is really heartbreaking.
While this book had many moving parts, I felt like the focus of the book was not on Michael's relationship with Andi as much as it was about his life as a war correspondent. The climax of the book (Andi's death) was rather rushed it seemed. And the final chapter of the book really killed it for me... I didn't see it as necessary, and really felt it distracted the reader from the reality of Andi's death.
I thought this was a love story but it really wasn't. The majority of the book is about him and his life in Iraq. There is a small smattering of a love story spread through out but from the title I thought it would be more about her and their relationship rather than about him.
If you are interested in reading about Iraq news coverage this would be good for that, but not for a undying love story
If you are interested in reading about Iraq news coverage this would be good for that, but not for a undying love story
Ignore the title -- it may be the worst war story title in history -- and the cheesy last chapter. Those two issues aside, it's a really interesting peek into a war correspondent's life in Iraq. The embeds he arranges, the stories he thinks he will tell and the story that actually gets printed, the hopelessness of our involvement in Iraq...are at the heart of this quick and compelling read.
Interesting read about embedded journalists... not such a great love story. I don't doubt that they loved each other, it's just that the author did much better at describing his job rather than the romance, and that was ironic as that seemed to be the basis for most of the couple's immature fights. WHY WAS SHE WITH HIM?
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Michael Hastings is a contributing editor to Rolling Stone. Over the past five years, he’s regularly covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He started his career at Newsweek magazine in 2002, and was named the magazine’s Baghdad correspondent in 2005. In 2008, he reported on the U.S. presidential elections for Newsweek. His work has appeared in GQ, The Washington Post, the L.A. Times, Slate, ...more
More about Michael Hastings...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
