Editorial Review from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Starred Review

The world's largest ethnic group without a state of their own, the Kurds saw their historic lands divided by colonial powers early in the last century, and their recent history at the hands of the Turkish, Iranian, Iraqi and Syrian governments has been dismal. In this groundbreaking book, experienced war reporter McKiernan traces the path of the Kurds since 1975. It's a journey planted in realpolitik and signposted by poverty, genocide, terrorism, war and, finally, maybe, liberation. As McKiernan recounts his travels among the Kurds, a picture emerges of a diverse and disconnected people, riven by internal disputes even as they are set upon by rapacious foreign rulers. McKiernan's engrossing tale—told in the first person—brings to life a population that, despite its geopolitical importance, has rarely been covered so thoroughly for a general audience.

Recounting in detail the situation of the Kurds in Turkey, Syria and Iraq (though not Iran), McKiernan sometimes presents overly simplistic explanations for complex regional trends and conflicts, but the sympathetic and compassionate treatment he gives his subjects makes up for many of his book's shortcomings. Finally, McKiernan asks American readers to examine their own responsibility for—and, indeed, culpability in—the mistreatment of the Kurds. (March 2006)

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