SHALASH THE IRAQI by Shalash
| Title | Shalash the Iraqi |
| Author(s)/Editor(s) | Shalash, translated by Luke Leafgren |
| Publisher | And Other Stories |
| Pages | 352 |
| Dimensions |
129 x 197 mm |
| Format | Softcover |
| Year | 2023 |
Translated by Luke Leafgren.
Populated by a cast of imagined con artists, holy fools, drag queens, and partisans – as well as some very factual politicians, priests, and generals – this novel started life as a pseudonymous blog written ‘live’ by ‘Shalash’ during and after the Second Iraq War. Never written to be published, all but lost save for disintegrating printouts treasured by its devotees, Shalash the Iraqi is here presented in its first authorised translation, with the blessing and commentary of ‘Shalash’ himself.
The second U.S. invasion of Iraq began in the spring of 2003. By the autumn of 2005, though the Saddam Hussein regime had reached its bloody end, ordinary Iraqis were seeing little improvement in their daily lives. In the midst of this turmoil, a hero arose – or, rather, a jester. In a country where electricity was only intermittently available, a series of blog posts began to appear at a soon-to-be-defunct website and took Baghdad by storm. Individual entries were printed out and passed around for months, until the pages were nearly shredded. Where neither computers nor printers were available, the posts were retold aloud, then passed along at second- and third-hand. What could inspire such devotion? Signed ‘Shalash the Iraqi’, the posts proved to be nothing less than portions of a madcap serial novel thumbing its nose at Iraq’s new normal.
From drunken monologues to prayers, from poetry to dirty jokes, from fairy tales and folk stories to pratfall humour, this novel delights readers and sheds light on Iraq in equal measure.
-
Title
Shalash the Iraqi
-
Author / Editor
Shalash
-
Publisher
And Other Stories
-
Pages
352
-
Dimensions
129 x 197mm
-
Format
Softcover
-
Year
2023
Shipping Terms
Delivery
We aim to process orders within 1–2 working days. Orders placed on a Saturday and Sunday will be processed from the next working day. If you need something in a hurry please call or email us before placing an order to ensure the item is in stock.
UK
All mainland UK orders are sent using Royal Mail, which usually arrives within 1–2 working days after despatch. We use Parcelforce and DHL on heavier or bulkier orders, which can take 2 working days to arrive. Royal Mail Signed For, Parcelforce and DHL all require a signature as proof of delivery. Please note that postage costs for addresses that are not mainland UK may vary.
European Union and Single Market
Please note that due to the introduction of the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) in December 2024, we are no longer able to ship to the EU and Single Market (including Northern Ireland). This does not affect items such as workshop bookings, Studio Passes, or Gift Vouchers.
International
Please note that LCBA cannot be held responsible for any import duties, taxes or delays in processing once your order arrives in-country. It is important that international orders include a contact telephone number and email address at checkout in the instance that the carrier needs to contact you for taxes and/or duties to be paid.
Out of Stock
We make every effort to ensure all products are in stock, but in the event of us not having your chosen product we will contact you and offer either a refund or a split- or later delivery if possible.
Returns
We hope you are happy with your purchases from London Centre for Book Arts, but if not, we can offer a refund on any item as long as it is returned in a saleable condition within 30 days of receiving your item. Please note that we are unable to reimburse postage costs for returns. For further information, or to make a return, write to us atorders@londonbookarts.org.