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Into Iraq

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

In March 2022, Michael Palin travelled the length of the River Tigris through Iraq to get a sense of what life is like in a region of the world that once formed the cradle of civilisation, but that in recent times has witnessed turmoil and appalling bloodshed. It was a journey of sharp, often brutal contrasts. At one moment he would be exploring the old streets of Baghdad or the ancient ruins of Babylon. At the next he would be visiting the war-torn city of Mosul, or learning about the horrific Speicher massacre in Tikrit. Now he shares the journal he meticulously kept during his trip, in which he describes the very varied places he visited, the people he met and the impressions he formed of a country that few outsiders now venture to see.

Permeated with his warmth and humour, this is a vivid and varied portrait of a complex country.

©2022 Michael Palin (P)2022 Penguin Audio Entertainment & Celebrities Middle East Travel Writing & Commentary Celebrity War Iran
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Lovely to listen to the legendary Sir Michael recount his journey into Iraq. As usual it’s insightful and humorous and important to someone who has previously spent time in Iraq during its turbulent past to hear about the hope for its future.

A return to Iraq

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Hes still got it, really manages to capture the feeling of a country, makes you want to travel yourself. Only issue is that it is disappointingly short

Palin great as ever

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The narrative and the narration appealed to me. The material helped me to understand more of modern Iraq and took me back to the places I visited in Iraq as a student in the 1960’s

Sympathetic but not uncritical

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has not lost his touch. Another impressive piece of work, wonderfully evocative. As always well written by himself

into Iraq

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It is difficult to to escape the sense of melancholy in the text and the reading. Iraq an endlessly fascinating nation blessed with ancient wonders and enriched with modern resources but scarred too often by conflicts. Palin, an ever reliable travel companion, shares the wonder and frustrations as beautifully as he always does. This account imparts its knowledge lightly, may make you want to visit, and reminded me of how much I miss the country I briefly lived in.

A gentle but sometimes sad journey

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