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Christian Dittus
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SHALASH, THE IRAQUI

Anonymous Iraqui Blogger Shalash,

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. The popular Iraqi blogger known as "Shalash" wrote his posts between 2005 and 2006, during the post-war insurgency in Iraq. Shalash took advantage of anonymity and wide reach to satirize political corruption, economic injustice, and more in an over-the-top comic tone.

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.


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. 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.
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Published 2023-05-01 by And Other Stories

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Reuters reported on media in Iraq, including Shalash's blog, in this 2009 article. Read more...

A 2005 interview with Iraqi-American academic and Shalash the Iraqi introducer by Dissent Magazine. Read more...