“a book by turns hard-hitting, urgent, gently lyrical and self-deprecating, a bittersweet pleasure.”

— The Sunday Times

”A fine book - a rich and enthralling portrait of a river that once helped create the first cities on earth, and is now fighting a battle for survival.

— Sir Michael Palin

“A captivating insight into the history of humanity through navigating the Cradle of Civilisation, warning us about dire consequences of environmental degradation affecting this great river.”

— Barham Salih, President of Iraq 2018-2022

“ This jaunty, highly informative, and ultimately sobering book abounds in pristine landscapes, war-ravaged towns, and evidence of environmental degradation.”

— New York Review of Books

“A journey through both time and ecological crisis: as epic as it is engaging.”

— Tom Holland, author of Rubicon, Dominion and Persian Fire, and host of The Rest is History

“a brilliant, beautifuLly written, mad AND mystical journey. Read it.”

— Quentin Sommerville, BBC Middle East Correspondent

“A SWASHBUCKLING TALE…Dodging mines and gun-cradling militia, MCCARRON returnS to tell a tale of a river under assault.”

— Financial Times

“READS LIKE A CLASSIC PIECE OF TRAVEL WRITING BUT IT IS ALSO AN URGENT WARNING ABOUT THE HAVOc we are wreaking on our environment.”

— Daunt Books

“writing that combines a journalist’s attention to facts with the eloquent style of a novelist…brave, erudite and determined.”

— Royal Society of Asian Affairs

“unflinching account of a brave and worthwhile journey…A combination of honest writing, diligent research, abundant empathy and an eye for a good story.”

— Justin Marozzi, Historian and author of Baghdad: City of Peace, City of Blood

“A remarkable book; a call to action to prevent the birthplace of civilisation from becoming uninhabitable.”

— The New European

“A brave adventure grippingly evoked and featuring pertinent historical context.”

— Kirkus Reviews

“Witty and urbane, and modest enough to make his feats seem quite normal.”

— The Irish Times on the author

“a reminder of what a great civiliSation Iraq once was, what has been destroyed, and what humanity loses in the death of a civiliSation. And it gave me itchy feet!"

— Emma Sky, founding Director of Yale's International Leadership Center, author of The Unravelling

“Real TRavel WRiting - hard hitting, with a flowing momentum, hitting a stong modern country…a truly epic journey.”

— Sophy Roberts, author of Lost Pianos of Siberia

"an affecting look at communities that deserve attention and aid in the face of environmental catastrophe. McCarron writes with empathy, capturing the joys and traditions that endure despite upheaval." 

— Booklist

“AN IRRESistibly compelling story…Wounded Tigris strikes a careful balance between the sad and the gently satirical.”

— The Markaz Review

“A sobering yet often funny and poignant account...The book is a celebration of Iraq’s heterogenous society and rich history but, at its heart, it is a warning.”

— Centre for Strategic and International Studies

“Brilliant. Wounded Tigris captures the peculiar beauty and enduring importance of one of humanity’s first waterways.”

— Foreword Reviews

“A truly fascinating project.”

— Rory Stewart, former MP, author of The Places In Between, host of The Rest is Politics

“Hewn with the visceral language and spirit you’d expect from this adventurer.”

— National Geographic Traveller

“A splendid idea for a journey.”

— Colin Thubron, author of The Amur River

“A remarkable journey…McCarron reveals what humanity stands to lose with the threatened death of a great river and what can be done to try to save it.”

— Geographical magazine

“An insightful and worrying read, softened by the hospitality and courage of the people we meet along the journey.”

— The Irish Times