<p>Populated by a cast of imagined con artists, holy fools, drag queens, and partisans ? as well as some very factual politicians, priests, and generals ? this novel started life as a pseudonymous blog written 'live' by 'Shalash' during and after the Second Iraq War. Never written to be published, all but lost save for disintegrating printouts treasured by its devotees, Shalash the Iraqi is here presented in its first authorised translation, with...