Late for Tea at the Deer Palace

Going on to the Middle East in June 2011 - our next book to discuss is set in Iraq - Late for Tea at the Deer Palace by Tamara Chalabi

Here's a book summary:

Tamara Chalabi traces her family history back four generations, through a hundred years of turbulent Iraqi history. Chalabi’s great-grandfather, Abdul Hussein, a Shia Muslim, became the minister of education in an administration largely dominated by Sunnis in the 1920s. His son, Hadi, the author’s grandfather, becomes a successful businessman only to have his life put in jeopardy when he is arrested for treason. Hadi is eventually released, but the family’s close association with the monarchy drives them out of the country in the wake of the 1958 military coup. Hadi’s youngest son, Chalabi’s father, Ahmed, dares to raise a unified opposition to Saddam Hussein in Kurdistan in the 1990s, paving the way for the family’s eventual return home.

A rich, sprawling family saga that reads like a novel, Chalabi’s memoir is essential for anyone seeking a better understanding of Iraq and the turmoil of the last century.

We're meeting at the Ma'velous Cafe near Civic Center on Sunday June 26!

Next Book: Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prision by Piper Kerman