A reporter for The Washington Post, Anthony Shadid was sent to Iraq in March 2003, weeks before the US troops invaded. Fluent in Arabic and determined to capture the invasion's impact on Iraqis' everyday lives, he disappeared into the country's dangerous and divided worlds. Night Draws Near is the result of his experiences. Shadid tells his story through the lives of a number of Iraqis, including Karima, a mother, Ghani, a sculptor, and Wamidh, a professor. Skilfully weaving together a narrative of bombs and prayers, tradition, terror, and resilience, Shadid shows how Saddam's downfall paved the way not just for democracy but for the rise of a bloody insurgency that would victimise Iraqi citizens in ways few had foreseen. With rare empathy he reveals the hidden faces and subtle complexities of a conflict that will resonate around the world for generations to come.