War and Pieces tell the unique, adventurous, and heart-breaking story of Sandra Ekelund and her life - from her humble upbringing to living in the violence of Saddam Hussein's Iraq. With wonderful attention to detail, this memoir includes timely descriptions of places long gone, prices long forgotten, and notes about what now takes their places. From council housing to an Iraqi orange farm in 1971, the author creates vivid, sensory descriptions of her varied surroundings. There is also a good dose of humour throughout, balancing the hardship that she and her children experienced during the years they lived there.