Overview

Full Product Details

9780961511241

Table of Contents

Reviews

Amazon Reviews What humans will risk for freedom and safety: Five Stars - Intense, historical fiction shows Iraq with ancient roots and contemporary issues. Uday and Mustafa Hussein take on roles of brutality and self-interest. The USA military look for weapons of mass destruction. An Iraqi American teen visits her cousins in Iraq, only to be detained for Uday's pleasures at Dreamland. Kindness and bravery counteract authoritarian atrocities. An Iraqi neighborhood collaborates with special forces as the American forces bombard Baghdad. Many people lose their lives while other live to tell their stories. The author writes with insight and understanding. 2019 Deeply Engaging: Five Stars - This book is well written, easy to follow, and deeply engaging. Because of the true history and politics, the story of the fictitious characters is believable, as though the reader is a participant in the unfolding events. The depth of details brings to life the deep family values, in spite of the despicable evil that was imposed on the people of Iraq. I look forward to more works by this author. 2018 Riviting: Four Stars - This is a riveting novel about Iraq in the months leading up to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The author apparently did a lot of research to write this story, a fictional account of true events. His knowledge of Iraq's history and of US military operations during the invasion added immensely to the narrative. Unfortunately, the many errors, typos, poor grammar, and repetitive phrasing became a distraction for me. 2018 (Author's Note - Errors have been corrected.) Couldn't put this one down: Five Stars - Wow, what a captivating story. I enjoyed the writing style and detail. The chapters weaved together in a building suspense which did not disappoint me. Once I started reading, I could not wait to grab it and absorb another chapter. This was an exciting way to learn more about a world changing event and the cultures of both the Iraqi and American families involved. 2018 Gripping: Five Stars - Fascinating account of what happened in the middle east at that time. Well written with military detail and historic facts of the region. Totally recommend. 2018 Very Entertaining Thriller! Five Stars - Fast paced story based on actual events by a gifted storyteller. It was hard to put down! 2017 Action Packed Page Turner Set in War-Torn Iraq: Five Stars - Fast paced, fact based and fascinating look inside Iraq during U.S. involvement there. Well drawn characters, realistic situations, outstanding page turner. (Recent) historical fiction at its finest! 2017 Excellent book, well written: Five Stars - Excellent book, well written, and does a great job of integrating fiction with actual events on the ground in Iraq. Written by someone who was there. 2017 An Excellent Read.: Five Stars - Surviving Dreamland is a novel I couldn't put down. The author's research and personal experience told a very real story of life in Iraq. An excellent read. 2017 Colleague Reviews Remarkable Achievement - Surviving Dreamland is a remarkable achievement. With a background in international development and diplomacy, Bill Penoyar has delivered a thrilling novel weaving historical facts into fiction. In the final battle between the Hussein Brothers and U.S. Special Operations, I felt like I was there with an M-4 in my hands. You will not want to put this book down. Dr. Kevin A. Rushing, Deputy Team leader, embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team (ePRT), Camp Baharia, Fallujah, Iraq 2008-2009.

Author Information

Bill Penoyar worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development in Iraq during 2009-2010. He assisted the U.S. reconstruction efforts in Anbar, Baghdad, Basrah, Babel, and Erbil Provinces during his fifteen months in country. He also served as the USAID adviser for the Regional Threat Team, Strategic Operations Directorate at Camp Victory near the Baghdad Airport, in support of the United States Forces-Iraq J3 Directorate from August 2009 - April 2010. While working with the embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team and US Marines at the Forward Operating Base, Camp Baharia near the Anbar provincial town of Fallujah in 2009, he learned about the rumors of Uday Hussein's activities at the former palatial lake resort that was located in the same area prior to the war. Surviving Dreamland was inspired by what Bill saw there. The novel began as a creative outlet to while away time in his small container housing unit room when he wasn't working with his ePRT colleagues and marines on visits to Fallujah and the Many of the characters represented in Surviving Dreamland - Escape from Terror were based on Iraqi, Iraqi-American, and US military colleagues whom he worked with or met in the course of his work. The description of locations which he wrote about were influenced by what he observed while traveling around the country. Some of the characters were also inspired by an Iraqi family whom Bill met while working in Iraq and sponsored when they immigrated to the United States. Bill worked in international development for more than 30 years and in more than twenty countries on short- or long-term assignments as a foreign service officer. When home was far away, he wrote for enjoyment and, hopefully, for the entertainment or enlightenment of others.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available