The Kurdish National Movement: Its Origins And Developments

by Wadie Jwaideh




A seminal work in the field of Kurdish studies, Wadie Jwaideh’s study, published for the first time, presents a detailed analysis of the early phases of Kurdish nationalism and offers a framework in which to understand the movement's later development.

Following Wadie Jwaideh’s dissertation defense, his doctoral chairman took aside Jwaideh’s wife, Alice, and asked her to submit the work for publication without Wadie’s permission, believing that Wadie’s penchant for perfection would postpone its publication indefinitely. The thesis was never published during Jwaideh’s lifetime, but its fame spread by word of mouth, and many scholars have recognized its importance not only as a study of the earlier phases of Kurdish nationalism but also as a framework for understanding later developments. Now forty years later, the work continues to stand as a classic, referenced by some of the most renowned scholars in the field. Its publication will permit it to reach a greater audience and to contribute more fully to the understanding and appreciation of this geopolitical and cultural movement.

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WHEN THE BORDERS BLEED: The Struggle of the Kurds

by Ed Kashi




"The Kurds have no friends-no friends but the mountains." This powerful photo essay masterfully illustrates this Kurdish saying as it chronicles the Kurds' seemingly endless struggle for survival. Hitchens, columnist for the Nation and Vanity Fair, describes the history of the Kurds in a 30-page introductory essay, documenting their legacy as victims of geopolitics. The 100 photographs by photojournalist Kashi, who traveled to Kurdistan, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran, and even Germany, powerfully reveal the plight of contemporary Kurds. This book is unquestionably an apologia for the Kurds meant to keep alive awareness of their struggle. Nevertheless, there is criticism of the Kurds' internal divisiveness; their situation is not entirely a result of actions beyond their control. When the Borders Bleed succeeds as a cohesive work. The prose is clear and succinct, the photographs persuasive and directly related to the prose. Highly recommended for public libraries, where there is likely to be little material available on the Kurds.
Ruth K. Baacke, Whatcom Cty. Lib. Sys., Bellingham, Wash.

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The Kurdish Predicament in Iraq: A Political Analysis

by Michael M. Gunter



The Kurds are a people who are scattered, have no international recognition and are still without a state. Most live in the geographical region called Kurdistan (which has no viable political entity) spread across the Middle Eastern states (Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria) and along the northern edge of the Central Asian republics of Armenia and Azerbaidzhan. However, the larger portion of the population live in eastern Turkey, north-eastern Iraq, and western Iran.

Love in a Torn Land: Joanna of Kurdistan : The True Story of a Freedom Fighter's Escape from Iraqi Vengeance

by Jean Sasson




In this incredible true love story, bestselling author Jean Sasson shares Joanna al-Askari's personal journey of fear and fortitude through a Baghdad childhood and life as a Kurdish freedom fighter during the Iran-Iraq War. Inspiring and unforgettable, Love in a Torn Land shares Joanna's passionate and unflagging determination to survive and fight—for love, life, and the freedom of her beloved Kurdistan.

My Father’s Paradise

by ARIEL SABAR




An ancient land. A lost language. And a wayward son who never knew what he and his father shared. Until they embarked on an epic journey into their family's extraordinary past. Ariel Sabar's father, Yona, was born in a mud hut in the remote Kurdish region of Northern Iraq. Protected by towering mountains, the Jews of Zakho lived peacefully among Muslims and Christians for hundreds of years. Rugged lumberjacks and humble peddlers, self-made mystics and gifted storytellers, the members of this Lost Tribe of Israel were so isolated that they still spoke Aramaic, the language of Jesus. But in the late 1940s, the outside world came crashing in, and Yona Sabar would be the last boy bar mitzvahed in Zakho.

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Blood and Belief: The PKK and the Kurdish Fight for Independence

by Aliza Marcus




Blood and Belief combines reportage and scholarship to give the first in-depth account of the PKK. Marcus provides an in-depth account of this influential radical group.

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Kurdish Culture and Identity

by Philip Kreyenbroek (Editor), Christine Allison (Editor)



The more than 20 million Kurds in the Middle East are the largest nation in the world without their own independent state. Their struggles for international recognition may ultimately depend on their ability to convince the world that they have their own valid and mature identity. This survey of Kurdish culture describes the differences that exist in a community that is spread across four countries in the region - Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria - and recognizes that Kurdish culture is changing. Successive chapters deal with Kurdistan's written literature and oral tradition, the development of book publishing and other modern media, the range of Islamic and other religious beliefs that have shaped Kurdish identity, and Kurdish material culture including costumes, carpets and the everyday objects of village life.

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