Out of Mogadishu: A Memoir of the Somali Civil War in 1991 is a compelling and captivating firsthand account that provides an Out of Mogadishu_book Haidastute and mesmerizing portrait of Somalia’s civil war and the state collapse that followed. Yusuf Haid, its author, takes you back to Mogadishu’s alleys and behind-the-scenes meetings in the homes of the beleaguered city during the time period from 26 December 1990 to 16 January 1991. The account he provides with great political insight and artistic verve takes you on an emotional roller-coaster that will leave you with lasting memories of Somalia’s clan fabric and challenged statehood
Out of Mogadishu: A Memoir of the Somali Civil War in 1991 is a
fascinating memoir that offers a gripping account of the beginning of the Somali civil war. Perhaps the first of its kind, the book offers keen insight of the slow and painful collapse of Siad Barre’s regime and the emergence of anarchy, brutality, and a new clannish order. The book is simple, elegant, and engrossing. Like a Swiss clockmaker’s attention to details, the book provides a penetrating account and lucid analysis of how the civil war commenced that is enhanced by the author’s gruesomely detailed description of a city wrapped in the midst of fear,Killings, desertion, and a state of confusion. It is also a personal account of loss, introspection, and his efforts to make sense of the mayhem. The book is both a history and a memoir. It is the story of Haid‘s humble background—from being raised in the bush—to ascending to the peak of educational accomplishment by attending an Ivy League school. An exceptional career as a journalist and pioneer of Somali National TV culminates in Haid being its director. In a sense, Out of Mogadishu is a unique and a must-read book for all those who want to know what happened in Somalia in 1990 and 1991. Hassan M. Abukar
