Novella by Saddam Hussein to be published in English
Novella by Saddam Hussein to be published in English
Described as a 'forgettable piece of pulp', the late Iraqi dictator's fourth novel is set to hit the shelves in English this December.
2 min read
Saddam Hussein published three novels during his lifetime [Getty]
A novella written by the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is set to be published in English later this year to mark the tenth anniversary of his execution.
The 186-page piece was penned by the Iraqi strongman in the run-up to the 2003 coalition invasion, as his counterparts in the West were deliberating his overthrow.
Set for release in December, it will be published by Hesperus, an independent British publishing house that specialises in rare foreign works and out of print books.
The novella, which has previously been translated into other languages, tells the tale of a tribe living by the Euphrates river over a millennia ago that repels and invading army.
It was described by the New York Times in 2005 as a "forgettable piece of pulp".
A spokesperson for Hesperus was quoted by The Guardian as having described the book as "a mix between Game of Thrones and the UK House of Cards-style fiction."
"We said we wanted to come back with something interesting,” the spokesperson said. "This is the way we wanted to go ahead… and it is topical, very ‘de jour’, with the Chilcot inquiry and the 10th anniversary coming up".
The publisher also said that as part of a launch of a new imprint focusing on 'eastern' works, it would also consider publishing the late dictator's other novels.
