The Diary of Dr. Saad Eskander

July 23, 2007 12:48 PM

The British Library is posting the Diary of Dr. Saad Eskander, the courageous director of the Iraq National Library and Archive. His entries "detail the daily hurdles of keeping Iraq’s central library open, preserving the surviving archives and, oh yes, staying alive."
posted by Alec (11 comments total)

I'll never forget that no one was guarding those places at all, and we immediately were guarding the Oil Ministry. U.S. Protected Oil Ministry While Looters Destroyed Museum
posted by amberglow at 12:55 PM on July 23, 2007

This makes me feel saad.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 1:03 PM on July 23, 2007

what an astonishing diary - thanks for posting this. I can only hope that it won't end tragically.
posted by patricio at 1:21 PM on July 23, 2007

what an astonishing diary - thanks for posting this. I can only hope that it won't end tragically.

Ditto on that. This is an amazing look into a person and a country under siege. Thanks for sharing.
posted by cowbellemoo at 1:27 PM on July 23, 2007

The new Minister of Human Rights is much worse than the first one. I do not know why some people demand or accept jobs they cannot do? The worse thing is that they will keep their privileges and high celeries, after leaving their posts. The principal political leaders of the country consider the issue of candidacy for ministerial posts as an best way to reward their submissive supporters.

Iraqi-American unity is possible!
posted by cowbellemoo at 1:45 PM on July 23, 2007

Wow.
posted by freebird at 1:55 PM on July 23, 2007

Because I missed it, here's the link to all his previous diaries.

I work for an organisation that funds museums, libraries and archives in the UK. This puts things into perspective.
posted by Helga-woo at 1:59 PM on July 23, 2007

I wish for Hanas, and for her mother and brother and father also, a long and happy life. I hope that by the time she is old enough to read that peace will have returned to her country.
posted by anastasiav at 3:08 PM on July 23, 2007

Inside Iraq is great too--day to day life of McClatchy staffers in Baghdad
posted by amberglow at 4:28 PM on July 23, 2007

As all WoW players know, dude's a badass.
posted by felix at 4:37 PM on July 23, 2007

As a great man once said, Mission Accomplished.
posted by mattoxic at 7:35 PM on July 23, 2007