The Book Collectors of Daraya

 ''The philosophy of Daraya'' formed at the core of a new way of life, appearing at first as a cooping mechanism for the people who stood by their ideas through the devastating realities of war, later became an integral part (a ‘‘Linchpin'') of each individual hoping to see a better future for their beloved homeland. It is a lesson for everyone who seeks to question the so-called “status quo'' using weopons as last resort to defend themselves and their loved ones from the wake of unending terror enforced by those who claim to be the only alternative to chaos ‘' إما أنا أو الفوضى ‘'.

As it is stated in the title, “The Book Collectors of Daraya” is not about the particular books and/or the library, but rather the people who seek change and have the willpower to preserve and spread knowledge in dire circumstances. Following the main plot we meet the protagonists of Daraya, most of them are young in their 20th together with their teacher/mentor Ustez, each of them has an individual background and story unreveled along the plot. We get some brief historical context here and there (ditaield enough, but not too overwhelming) of how the situation came to be, whlie also getting updates as the time of the siege carries on.

The main plot starts when when Delphine Minoui (author) discovers the random post on Facebook of people reading in an underground library and upon further inquiry finds their contact, which allows her to communicate with them on semi-regular basis thus forming the main structure of the book (although it is worth mentioning that in the end of the book, it is revealed in aknowledgments that there were 2 aspiring journalists who assisted with the translation from Arabic day and night).

The key theme revolves around the certain “Daraya'' unique way of rebellion deoending mroe on self-education and written word, rather than brute force and propoganda of their adversaries. You observe the people's journey of self-analysis and self-reflection intertwined with escapism from the daily life of constant worry and anxiety, leading to the discovery of the previously unknown knowledge from poetry, history, politics to popular self-help books (Note: the list of the mentioned book is conveniently placed at the end as well). It is both fascinating and dreadful that the path to Enlightenment was found on the ruins of a sieged city under the constant bombardment by the Regime.

In the end, despite the destruction of the city, Daraya will never leave the hearts of the people who survived. It is not the city which made the people great, but the people stood against the chaos disguised as order, through 4 years of hardship and siege in hope of a better, equal and free future for their beloved country. The story serves as an inspiring example of how the brave people united by the same values and purpose can to withstand hardship for the intrinsically human desire for freedom, shared by all people in different parts of the world.