The Road from Raqqa is an amazing story of two brothers and how their personalities and points of view shape their futures in very different ways. Even though the story takes place during the Syrian revolution, it really could take place any where and at any time.
The brothers were brought up together in a middle eastern environment which does factor in some of the decisions. However, depending on your points of view, my guess is that you can see yourself in one of the two men.
Personally, I heavily identified with the older brother who saw an issue with the dictatorship and who wanted to travel and experience life with freedom. The other brother was fine with the status quo and fought to keep that lifestyle even when it was literally falling apart around him.
Ever read "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson? This is the real life version of that story.
The disservice, however, comes from the title and the book cover. It appears to be another book about displaced people during an internal struggle. But the story is so much bigger than that! It's about opposing views and social norms. It's about fighting change or fighting "this is how it's always been done."
The choices made by the brothers will have you cheering at some points and yelling at them at others. For example, the younger brother refuses to move his wife and girls after the bombing started. He could not see past himself (which screamed complete selfishness to my brain) regarding what was safest for his family until a friend finally made some points he had not considered. The younger brother's wife begged to leave their area but he kept refusing to listen. I know that anyone who has ever been married can relate to this. Husband not listening to what his wife says but once a friend brings it up, suddenly it makes sense! This is completely relatable!
This book is about relationships and opposing viewpoints and how each turns out. It's a rare opportunity to see the opposing side's results.

What an eye-opener! What do you know about Syria and Syrians?
This non-fiction book will show you things you never knew.
The perspective is of two brothers, one who leaves Syria for the United States, and the other who stays.
You cheer for the one who leaves to make it against all odds. And you see what he goes through as a brown, Muslim man in America.
The one who stays, who of course has his reasons, is in danger. The danger gets worse and worse. You also get to hear his wife's view of life in Syria.
The saddest part was when a little girl says: if people knew what was going on here, they would do something. And, of course, everyone knew and did nothing. Or, got involved like the U.S. and made things worse for the civilians.
But, to be fair, there are a lot of villains. It is a sad story that goes one for years and years.
It is definitely worth your time.

I don't know much about the Syrian War, so I was happy to pick up a book that gave a more personal look into what's happening over there. I was immediately drawn into the brothers' stories and heartbroken for all they had to endure. What really struck me throughout the book was how the family somehow managed to maintain hope. As a person looking in from the outside, I assume I'd feel devastated and scared. I'm sure there were those feelings for all the Syrians too as they watched their home be bombed and overtaken, but they also had a sense of resiliency and hope which I found admirable.

The only thing that took away from this reading experience at all was the fact that one brother's story was much more compelling than the other. I wanted more of Bashar's story...possible all of it. I'm not trying to discount Riyad's immigration experience to America, but the parts with Bashar are what really moved me and made me want to keep reading.

The Road from Raqqa: A Story of Brotherhood, Borders, and Belonging is a well written book about two brothers from Syria, Riyad and Bashar Alkasem. Riyad becomes disillusioned with the Syrian government in his young years, with his outspoken nature having the potential to cause big problems for himself and his family. Riyad eventually travels to the US in search of the American Dream. At the same time, his brother Bashar begins his legal career for the very government that Riyad despises. From the civil war in Syria, with its violence and bombings, to the discrimination, poverty, and the post 9/11 attitudes towards Muslims in the United States, the author gives the perspectives of the brothers as they navigate the ever changing world.

Author Jordan Ritter Conn does a great job of narrating the lives of the two brothers, in a way that seems more like fiction than fact. As immigrants to two different countries, it is interesting to see how Riyad and Bashar fare in the changing landscape of their lives. The Road from Raqqa was well documented and written in a way that was very compelling. For these reasons, I would highly recommend the book to others.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Road from Raqqa by NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

Thank you, Random House, for the gifted ecopy. I also bought a physical copy for my shelf.

Have you ever read narrative nonfiction? It reads just as smoothly and engaging as fiction, allowing dialogue between the “characters,” but the story just happens to be true. Some of my favorite books are written in this style, and I now add The Road from Raqqa to that list of favorites.

The Road from Raqqa is about two Syrian brothers, Riyad and Bashar, who grow up in Raqqa, Syria, where later, ISIS would control. Riyad eventually travels to the US in search of the American Dream. At the same time, Bashar begins his legal career in Syria. Neither brother has an easy time. War, violence, bombings, discrimination, poverty, and the climate towards Muslims in America post 9/11; these brothers walk through it all.

At times their stories left me absolutely bereft on their behalves, but then their hope would lift me back up because they never, ever gave up on finding peace (and survival) for their respective families. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I loved this book, how it inspired and moved me emotionally. Syria is not a place we can forget, and I’m grateful the Alkasem brothers’ stories were given a voice by this talented author.

Also, Riyad opened a restaurant in Tennessee called Caffe Rakka, now an award-winning restaurant, and I definitely want to visit!

I really enjoyed the two different depictions of what living in this culture can mean, for those who stay in a country where it dominates and those that left to learn and experienced different cultures and people. Having a father who went to Iraq and Afghanistan during the wars, this was a new outlook on people in these countries. I dont read much historical fiction very often but this was a topic that really intrigued me and kept me reading.

What an interesting story. This memoir was beautifully written and showcased what its like for a family to experience different pathways during the same events.

Excellent! This book pulled me in from the first page of the author's note and never let go. It is non-fiction but reads like a novel. More importantly it brings to life the horror of the revolution in Syria as experienced through the lives of two brothers - one who left before it began and one who stayed - and the life of one of them living in America pre and post 9/11. What would it take for you to leave your home? Would you know the right time? Could you start over in another country? Are you risking your family's lives by staying or leaving? We read in the papers about the horrors in other countries but reading this book makes it very real and lead me to think about those types of questions.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

As much as I love learning about other cultures, this one was a tough read for me. I remember my first world history class, learning the birthplace of civilization was between the Tigris & Euphrates rivers. That romance is gone with the current day telling of the area. Definitely a male perspective, for a good part of the book. Grim reminder of how awful it is to be a refugee.

Hands down, one of the most profound books I've ever read. This story willnstick with me for a long time.

Thanks to Ballantine Books Marketing for sending me a copy of this ARC. Published July 21, 2020.

Having finished this book over a week ago, it still haunts me. I enjoyed it much more than I ever expected and I learned a lot about how the war in Syria first began.

This non fiction book tells the story of the Alkasem family - especially the two first born sons - Riyad and Bashar. They grew up together in Raqqa, having a long lineage of inheritance in the land and the country's traditions. At adulthood the brothers were separated by miles. Riyad moving to the United States and Bashar remaining in Syria.

After years pass and the Syrian war heats up Riyad travels back to Syria to try to get his family out before they are hurt or killed in the bombings or the cyanide gases released by Syria itself. Bashar refused to leave Syria, refusing to believe his country would turn against him and not acknowledging that ISIS was taking over the country. But Bashar eventually is convinced to leave and he and his family end up in Germany.

This story not only spoke about the hell that has been going on in Syria, but also to the conditions and the problems that immigrants face when they move to another country. The trip itself can be deadly. The prejudices, the lack of understanding the language, the loss of education and career skills and having to take unskilled minimal jobs to support their families once they finally settle.

This is a book that needs to be read by all. It is one great understandable story of just one of the places that is in peril in the world today and how one family left their traditions and their rightful inheritance to fight to find freedom.

The Road from Raqqa is a beautiful piece of narrative non-fiction. It's a story of two brothers, of immigration, of terror, hope and family. It's a moving story, and wonderfully told.⁣
⁣
Riyad and Bashar Alkasem are the two eldest sons of the ancestral line of one of the twelve founding tribes of Raqqa. Indeed they are the descendants of the very founder himself who once set up the first tent in the desert and invited others to join him with a welcoming cup of coffee. The brothers lives follow two very different paths. Riyad became a political dissident after a traumatic experience witnessing the horrors of the state violence of the Assad regime. Syria was no longer a safe place for Riyad to live and so pursued an education in America. Bashar, now the patriarch of the family remained in Syria through the civil war and the following occupation by the Islamic State in Raqqa.⁣
⁣
The story is expertly told by the author. It's readable in its narrative structure but also very evidently journalistic in tone which I found helpful in keeping me grounded in its reality. Though both brothers have an interesting story I was definitely drawn more to Bashar, the brother that remained in Syria and I really appreciated the historical context provided by the author to round out an otherwise personal tale. There were moments I found slower than others but I loved getting to read about two very different and yet connected immigrant experiences. I hope more people will read this book and that Jordan Ritter Conn continues his writing!⁣

THE ROAD FROM RAQQA is a biography of two brothers from Raqqa, the town in Syria that would later become the capital for ISIS. As teenagers, both brothers dream of becoming lawyers to improve their home country. Riyad moves to America hoping to study the country's government and law and bring its practices to Syria but becomes increasingly concerned with the news he's hearing of his hometown.
Bashar stays in Syria and becomes an expert on government law. He is up for a judgeship when civil war turns its eyes on Raqqa. Conflicted on whether to stay or to leave, Basha is forced to make decisions that will change the path of his family forever.
.
Wow, this book really struck a chord with me. I have never read a true account of an immigration or refugee story, and it was eye opening; especially Riyad's account of life after 9/11, and his experience back in Raqqa with Bashar. There were acts of generosity in this book that made me cry, and acts so inhumane that I wanted to throw the book across the room. A heartfelt book that explores the meaning of home and gives previously unseen insight into the life of an immigrant and a refugee. We need more eyes on this book telling previously unheard accounts of real life suruvial and bravery! 4 out of 5 stars
.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for reaching out about this book. I was given this book in return for an honest review.

#TheRoadfromRaqqa #NetGalley

Very engaging and soulful book... Make you think about your own blessings in life. Love the writing... Would highly recommend.

Two Syrian brothers, Riyad and Bashar, each had different ways to see their home country of Syria. While Riyad decided to leave for America because he had a love and hate relationship with his homeland, Bashar stayed in Syria with his family, hoping he could make a change from within.

Although they didn't think the same way about the Syrian government, they had one thing in common: hope. Riyad had to pivot his dream from becoming a lawyer to a restauranteur. His brother also had to surrender his desire to become a judge because of the war. Interestingly, despite all the terrible things happening in Syria, they both never lost hope that things would get better.

As an immigrant, I could relate to Riyad's struggle living in abroad. I agree with Riyad that home was "impermanent, transient". There were even a few chapters in this book that made me hungry and craving Chef Rakka's food.

I am impressed by how the author, Jordan Ritter Conn, was able to transition smoothly between these siblings to tell their perspectives. However, it felt somewhat rushed when Riyad was trying to pursue his law degree in America and suddenly had to abandon his dream. I wished that part could have been explored more in-depth so that it didn’t seem like he was simply giving up. However, I do understand it wasn't the focus of this story. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely!

This is a fascinating story about immigration to America and following the American dream, but at the same time showing how sometimes people are really struggling in their home countries and they need to get out to anywhere in the world. It is also even more fascinating finding out this is based on a true story. As someone who voluntarily left her own country to live somewhere else, I find it challenging to start over. But imagine having to do that when you don't even have a place to go back to if anything goes wrong.
The book tells the story of two brothers from Raqqa that, through different paths and motivations, end up leaving the city and the country forever.

Rating: 5 gut-wrenching stars

How can I call a book ‘fabulous’, and give it five shining stars when it is so gut wrenching? Perhaps that is exactly why I can give it that rating, because it reached me in such a profound way. This work of non-fiction is not a dry recounting of dates and places. It reads more like a well-researched thriller. We meet the Alkasem family and learn of their heritage in the city of Raqqa, which is located in the north central region of Syria. This Muslim family traces their roots back to the city’s founder.

This is primarily the story of the two oldest brothers, Riyad and Bashar who come of age in the 1980’s. They have grown up under the rule of Hafez al-Assad. Eventually Riyad chooses to emigrate to America. He knows his inability to curb his criticism of al-Assad puts his whole family in danger. Bashar chooses a different path. This book has many different aspects. It explains a small part of Syrian history. It shines a light on the plight of the ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire between ISIS, and the Assad regime. It paints a lovely picture of a corner of the world that I didn’t know much about. A picture from Riyad’s youth that sadly no longer exists because of the wartime destruction that has levelled Raqqa.

Ultimately, it is a portrait of the human spirit’s drive to survive. To take whatever means necessary to move forward in life. The portrait was horrifying, and uplifting at the same time. Horrifying due to the crimes perpetrated by all the various factions. Uplifting due to the courage of all the people we met along the journey of the Alkasem brothers as they try to move forward to create a place of refuge for their family. I learned more about the history of the Syrian conflict, and grew to admire the integrity of Riyad and Bashar as they attempted to make the best of a horrible situation.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books; and the author, Jordon Ritter Conn for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Read this now. It's so good. Emotional and poignant I found it really hard to put down. Flawlessly written you will revel in this amazing book. I loved the conflict between two very different brothers who chose very different paths. An absolute must read. Happy reading!

This is a wonderfully written book that follows two brothers- Riyad and Bashar- and their families. Born into relatively good economic circumstances in Raqqa, Syria, and well educated, they see their lives on separate paths. Riyad flees Syria after seeing the results of Hama massacre for the US. Unable to use his law degree, he eventually opens a restaurant and raises a family with his American born wife, It's not easy and some of the scenes that linger are those when he is newly in the US. Bashar stays in Syria, working as a lawyer, but then ISIS arrives and he, along with his family, must leave. Their journey to Germany is traumatic to say the least. Conn has brought a thoughtful approach to the question of why people like Bashar stayed in Syria and what happens to them when they leave. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An important read.

A story of two Syrian brothers who love each other but are on different paths, but the bond between them remains solid. One moves to the United States and opens a restaurant and the other stays in Syria. I did learn something about the immigration process in the U.S. and the Syrian war. Beautifully written.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.