Book excerpt: Was life really that bad under the Saddam Hussein regime? Look Beyond the Fire: Daily Struggles Under Saddam's Regime is Mona K. Oshana's heart-rending account of the struggle to live and ultimately escape the cruel totalitarian rule of Saddam Hussein. Oshana vividly captures the thoughts and suppressed way of life of the forgotten, misunderstood people of Iraq and how decades of oppression have affected their state of mind. Drawing on her own life experiences, she illustrates the anguish and the suffering of her people that is rarely seen or covered by the media. Look Beyond the Fire offers a true glimpse inside Iraq beyond the controversy, beyond the politics and beyond the line of fire to the heart of the country the people.