I Have Iraq in My Shoe: Misadventures of a Soldier of Fashion
How real is Carrie Bradshaw?
That’s the question I kept asking myself as I read this book. The travel memoir of a woman (Gretchen Berg) teaching English in Northern Iraq, she took the job to earn enough money to clear debt that she accrued in opening a business that eventually failed. And to enable her shoe habit. A serious shoe habit: Alaïa, Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik; all the heavy hitters. Even knowing she wouldn’t wear many of them while in Iraq, she would buy pairs of shoes simply to let them sit in her closet. As impossible as Carrie’s shoe lifestyle seemed to be, Gretchen’s seemed to be a real-life analogue. But what I found extra curious is that she didn’t seem to care about clothes nearly as much as she did shoes; she barely mentioned shopping for anything else. I fully appreciate the power of shoes to transform an outfit, but I don’t understand how shoes could be so important without factoring in clothes. Granted, this is coming from someone who loves clothing, so I could be biased.
I do understand, however, that a good memoir has a unifying thread or theme, and Gretchen’s shoe obsession fulfilled that role. And it makes for a great pun! Other than being stymied by the whole shoe thing, I was thoroughly captivated by her experience of being an English teacher in Iraq. As someone who has also taught English in a completely foreign land (in my case, Japan), I could relate to her stories about planning lessons, having a classroom populated with students of all different ages and backgrounds, and even going crazy trying to find your favorite soda (Sprite for me, diet Coke for her). But her story offers so much more. From in-your-face-culture-shock-inducing security checkpoints and strict Muslim dress codes to making friends with the locals – and even falling in love with one, everything about Gretchen’s life changes when she arrives in Iraq.
With a protagonist somewhere between Confessions of a Shopaholic and Sloane Crosley, I Have Iraq In My Shoe is the perfect summer read. Not only is it quite entertaining, it also provides a firsthand account of a region of the world that most Westerners will probably never see.
Note: I received a promotional copy of this book but all words/opinions are my own. To purchase via Amazon, click the link above.
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