This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Born in 1982, Nader Barrak is a Lebanese native, originally from the southern region of Lebanon. He completed a bachelor's and master's degree in finance and accounting during his formative years in Lebanon. His pursuit of knowledge led him to France, where he achieved an additional master's degree in business administration and management.
In 2010, Nader relocated to the East African nation of Uganda, where he currently resides as a businessman and serves as the country head of a well-established multinational company. It was in Uganda that he met his life partner, Dorah Mwima, a former beauty queen. Together, they are the parents of six children and have gained recognition as a respected and prominent couple.
However, Nader's life journey was not devoid of challenges. The enduring scars of childhood traumas resulting from the ravages of war resurfaced as he embarked on the path to building his own family. This profound emotional awakening compelled him to embark on a transformative seven-year endeavor: the authorship of his memoir, appropriately titled "Just Fireworks."
Reviewed by Joe Wisinski for Readers' Favorite
Just Fireworks by Nader Barrak is an account of the Lebanese Civil War as seen through the eyes of a child who was almost three years old when the war began. He describes what it was like to be in the middle of the warring factions, never knowing if or when an attack from one side or the other would occur near his home. The author went through many horrendous experiences, including the kidnapping of his father, who was held in captivity for three months, and a stray bullet that literally went through his mother’s hair. In addition to being a behind-the-scenes account of the war, the book is a history of Lebanon and the surrounding area. There are numerous photos and maps throughout that help readers understand the history of the war. An epilogue consists of a timeline of Lebanon from 1990, when the civil war officially ended, through 2022.
Anyone interested in history should read Just Fireworks. But beyond its value as history, this compelling book will teach its readers just how terrible war is and why it must be avoided. Additionally, although the accounts of the war are horrifying, they are must-reads for anyone who wants to understand the history of Lebanon and nearby countries. The photos are fascinating too. Readers won’t find them in many other accounts of the Lebanese Civil War. I learned more about Lebanon and the surrounding area just by reading this book than I knew up to this point in my life. Author Nader Barrak is a fine writer, and his passion for telling his story shows through on every page. I can see this book as required reading in a high school or college course about Middle Eastern history. I highly recommend it to anyone.
