New Books Network Hadi Abdullah, "Critical Conditions: My Diary of the Syrian Revolution" (Doppelhouse Press, 2025)
Sep 17, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Alessandro Columbu, a Sardinian translator and admirer of Gramsci, shares insights on Hadi Abdullah's poignant memoir, *Critical Conditions: My Diary of the Syrian Revolution*. He highlights the challenges of translating raw, urgent narratives from conflict zones. The conversation explores themes of friendship, bravery, and the human experience amidst political chaos. Columbu also emphasizes the importance of grassroots media in preserving truth and the emotional weight of personal storytelling in shaping collective memory.
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Gramsci Frames The Syrian Moment
- Alessandro frames Hadi's memoir with Gramsci: the old world dying and a new one struggling to be born.
- He argues this captures Syria's 2011–2024 moment where regime counterinsurgency produced catastrophic consequences.
How Alessandro First Found Hadi
- Alessandro first encountered Hadi's reporting in 2013 after a journalist tweeted that Hadi's live reports meant the revolution was still alive.
- He followed Hadi's videos and became deeply moved by his frontline reporting and personal losses.
Humanity Over Political Analysis
- Alessandro says Critical Conditions isn't primarily political analysis but a book about friendship, loyalty, and human experience.
- He believes this human focus makes the memoir resonate beyond Syria and beyond immediate politics.
