The everyday life of an Iraqi woman who kept a blog has been published as a book. It gives a graphic insight into how her life has been transformed by the invasion, the loss of her job and freedom.

The computer science graduate, alias Riverbend, has given an extraordinary account of life in occupied Iraq in 2003.

The book, entitled Baghdad Burning, has been long-listed for the Samuel Johnson literary prize. Is this the first time a blog could win a literary award?

And is this the first time a blog has been made into a book?

Here is an extract:

“I am female and Muslim. Before the occupation I more or less dressed the way I wanted to. I lived in jeans and cotton trousers and comfortable shirts. Now I don’t dare leave the house in trousers. A long skirt and loose shirt (preferably with long sleeves) has become necessary. A girl wearing jeans risks being attacked, abducted or insulted by fundamentalists who have been …. liberated!

“Fathers and mothers are keeping their daughteres stashed safe at home. That’s why you see so few females in the streests (especially after 4pm). Others are making their daughters, wives and sisters wear a hijab. Not to oppress them, but to protect them. Girls are being made to quit college and school”.

I hope she was able to keep the blog running after 2003.