A Disappearance in Damascus: Friendship and Survival in the Shadow of War

Acclaimed journalist Campbell first met Ahlam in Damascus while on assignment to cover the growing unrest in Syria. Their friendship is the focus of this title. The first part of the book moves seamlessly between Ahlam's personal history and her work as a fixer for Western reporters, including Campbell. While Ahlam was the first person from her village to get a university degree, she couldn't afford to leave her country and use her education. Her job assisting foreigners during the Iraqi War drew negative attention, leading her to flee to Syria, where she became a leader within the refugee community. The second half of the book focuses on Ahlam's kidnapping, specifically how Campbell reconciles that she may have been the cause of her friend's disappearance, and what she and others do to try to find their companion.