They Will Have to Die Now, James Verini
They Will Have to Die Now, James Verini
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They Will Have to Die Now
Mosul and the Fall of the Caliphate

Author: James Verini

Narrator: Ray Porter

Unabridged: 9 hr 40 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/15/2019


Synopsis

James Verini arrived in Iraq in the summer of 2016 to write about life in the Islamic State. He stayed to cover the jihadis' last great stand, the Battle of Mosul, not knowing it would go on for nearly a year, nor that it would become, in the words of the Pentagon, "the most significant urban combat since WWII."

They Will Have to Die Now takes the listener into the heart of the conflict against the most lethal insurgency of our time. We see unspeakable violence, improbable humanity, and occasional humor. We meet an Iraqi major fighting his way through the city with a bad leg; a general who taunts snipers; an American sergeant who removes his glass eye to unnerve his troops; a pair of Moslawi brothers who welcomed the Islamic State, believing, as so many Moslawis did, that it might improve their shattered lives. Verini also relates the rich history of Iraq, and of Mosul, one of the most beguiling cities in the Middle East.

About James Verini

James Verini is a contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine and National Geographic. He has also written for the New Yorker, the Atavist, and other publications, and has won a National Magazine Award and a George Polk Award.


Reviews

As far as I could see, what knowledge the younger soldiers did have of Mosul and its history came from their cellphones, Facebook prophecies and WhatsApp conspiracy threads. Ultimately this was more fascinating than harrowing, which likely suggests something blithe about my sense of self. The author......more

Goodreads review by Nathan

I received an advance copy through Goodreads First Reads and am most grateful for the opportunity. This is a very interesting and emotionally moving story that explores Mosul (and the surrounding region's) history of being at the periphery of conquests for various conquerors and empires throughout th......more

Goodreads review by Kokie

I made it about half-way through this book, and just couldn't continue. There is a lot of great reporting and important information, but I found it hard to follow the story line. I felt like I was missing too much context and background information to really understand what the author was talking ab......more

Goodreads review by Joseph

Excellent book that looks at the climactic battle for Mosul in 2016-2017. This was the Islamic State's last major city, and Verini does a great job giving you a sense of the human experience of the battle, including the perspectives of Iraqi soldiers and civilians, some Iraqis who had relatives who......more