Piece of War: Narratives of Resilience and Hope by Meha Dixit (PhD) is a masterpiece of real-life experiences of ordinary people living (and who have lived) in some of the world’s most vile conflict zones in the world such as in Afghanistan, Indo-Pakistan border, Kashmir Valley, Lebanon and Sierra Leone. It is an extraordinary piece of poignant writing, weaving together the real-life experiences of ordinary people in three different regions of high-intensity armed conflict in South Asia, West Africa and West Asia.
Piece of War is a powerful account of the lives of people across conflict zones weaved together by the author Meha Dixit. The author superbly captures a range of emotions while seeing the world through the eyes of those caught up amidst war and conflict. Meha Dixit has gone where few dare to tread and brought out stories of war and conflict, of hope, of resilience, and the yearning of the human spirit. A must read for anyone who wants to understand conflict, its impact on people and finding the pieces which can build peace.
Dr Meha Dixit’s Piece of War: Narratives of Resilience and Hope is a seminal contribution to conflict zone literature, leveraging her first-hand experience of the lives and longings of violence-ravaged populations across continents to unearth the indefatigable nature of the human spirit. It is a silver linings playbook distilled from the fog of war.
This important book advances our understanding of war in four significant ways. First, the research concern here is firmly upon the consequences of war rather than the causes and conduct of war. Second, the focus is upon how war affects individuals and communities rather than interstate relations, geopolitics or regional power dynamics. Third, the author explicitly privileges narrative over theory and fieldwork over conceptualization, which distinguishes this book from earlier studies of war in International Relations.
Meha Dixit’s book provides a nuanced perspective on conflict resolution. It examines significant questions of the politics of war and the relevance of peace. Thus, it is an engrossing read.
“The author has meticulously woven together a common thread of resilience and hope among those unfortunate civilians reflecting the innate human spirit of survival.”
“The author makes every concept clear and most of the book is brilliantly situated in relevant literature. This book is a good read for any individual who wants to have a thorough understanding of war narratives through the eyes of people who have lived it or continue to do so.”