Saddam: His Rise and Fall Paperback – Illustrated, October 18, 2005

An excellent book, indeed. My son suggested reading this book. I can't say I have always enjoyed his selection but this was certainly worth the read. I arrived in Iraq as a civilian in March of 2004 and ended up staying for nearly five years. The country itself was very impressive. Although many of the government buildings and the infrastructure were, shall we say, in need of extensive repair, the signs of a previous, robust economy were evident, especially in Baghdad. This book put so much of what I saw and experienced further in perspective. Would Iraq have blossomed into the vibrancy it once enjoyed without Saddam? Would it have been mired in sectarian divisions? Did it really take a person as deeply evil as Saddam to maintain the coherence of such a wealthy and educated population? What would Iraq be like today without the war with Iran and the Gulf wars? I won't give you my thoughts on these questions but reading this book will certainly make you think and give you some insights you may not have had before.The book is fairly objective. It does not try to justify or criticize the actions of the West. If you are looking for either, you may be disappointed. If you are simply interested in how Saddam rose to power and what brought about his downfall you will not be disappointed. This background will give you insight into the current political situation in Iraq.

The book is fantastic and gives a very good look into the mind of Saddam. The man was very dangerous and it's scary to see how other places around the world handle themselves. His outlook on how to run a government, his family beliefs, and other ideas he believes to be the right way of doing things are all here and very hard to take in. It's sad to see that there are people in this world that have a very tainted idea of life and how it should be lived. He didn't care who lived or who died as long as his goals were met and the people around him followed his rule. If someone chose not to listen to his words and decided to challenge his rule, they would be punished, their family as well. I recommend this book to those who are interested in this kind of reading, it's a real eye opener.

A well documented narrative of the life and reign of Saddam Hussein. The author doesn't pull his punches in regard to the dictator's brutal regime, accounting stories of torture, abuse, and scandal. With Saddam’s reputation, it's easy to pile on criticisms of his failures and atrocities, but the author does an objective service by also including the successes that came with Hussein's Baath Party. Starting from his childhood, readers develop a strong sense of Saddam’s character and how it serves his strongman personality. With journalistic analysis of the conflicts with Iran, Kuwait, the Gulf War, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, readers get insights on the politics, military strategies, and complexities of those campaigns. Knowing how Saddam’s story ends, my only complaint is that the ending feels incomplete and truncated. Nevertheless, it remains an insightful read.

Well written biography. Mostly neutral.Divided into aspects of Saddam's personality rather than pure chronological in order. This has the effect of maintaining a fairly exciting read, with as many plot twists and turns as a good thriller.

Good research on Saddam as far as his wriggling into power yet stops before his demise.

A great biography of Saddam with a title that's a bit over-the-top. Does a fine job of capturing the man and his actions.

Not really what thought it was

As far as biographies go, this was a very thorough and unbiased account on the life and times of a very difficult man. By the end I truly felt as though I knew Saddam Hussein. The book dragged on at times but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand Iraq better.