This is an analysis of We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled, which brings together the real voices of those who experienced the Syrian revolution first-hand. It discusses why, in giving a voice to the voiceless, this book is central to the study of the Syrian revolution.

The author, Wendy Pearlman, is an Associate Professor who has spent more than two decades living in and studying the Arab World. She conducted hundreds of interviews in Arabic with Syrians across three continents to write this book. In using the mother tongue of those she interviewed, Pearlman was able to elicit more personal and authentic accounts, before translating them into English for the purposes of the book. We Crossed a Bridge is therefore a collection of first-person accounts which follow the Syrian revolution chronologically: Authoritarianism, Hope Disappointed, Revolution, Crackdown, Militarization, Living War, Flight, and lastly, Reflections. These chapters are intended to reflect the different stages of the Syrian revolution.

This book is particularly crucial for understanding the Syrian revolution because of the diversity of those interviewed. The stories featured in this book are of Syrians from different regions, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds. This means the reader is exposed to multiple different perspectives and emotionally moving stories. The psychological trauma is evident: one witness shared that “it’s better to die once than die slowly every day”, whilst another said that “we’re alive, but not really living”. This is both the strongest and weakest element of Pearlman’s book. On one hand, it gives a platform to the testimony of the voiceless; on the other, the stories presented are told by mostly male narrators. Therefore, the reader must bear in mind that there is a significant proportion of the population whose narrative remains unheard.

In giving those who have been silenced the chance to share their experiences, the reader is introduced to perspectives that they would not otherwise hear in the media. This allows for a more novel and less mainstream understanding of the Syrian revolution. In order to truly help those who have fled conflict and started a new life in a new country, policymakers need to understand the perspectives of those affected, rather than making assumptions. For example, the book depicts the journey between Syria and Europe up until arrival in the destination countries. The narratives here describe challenges such as incessant rejections, language barriers, cultural adjustments, bureaucracy, and hostility. Instead of reducing the refugees to a statistic, as often done by the media, Pearlman’s interviews provide the human story behind the media scares. When stories of hostility during brutal asylum interviews or from new neighbours are shared, it becomes evident how important the role of the law is in protecting those who arrive in a new country so that those arriving have their human rights protected.

It also highlights how easy it is for the prospective reader to take freedom for granted. Indeed, one of those interviewed said that the problem is not death, but rather living a “life without dignity”. It was moving to read how many interviewees said they would prefer dignity over safety. The simple and clear language used adds to how powerful the stories are.

The interviews follow the course of the revolution, as well as life after escaping Syria. This was poignant. In Western media, the so-called ‘refugee crisis’ is often depicted as a burden upon Western societies, and a threat to the livelihoods of their citizens. It is likely that many of Pearlman’s readers are living in Western societies which might either receive refugees or broadcast such coverage in the media. By including stories of life after arriving in destination countries, Pearlman has not only shared the real experience of what it is like to arrive in a new country after fleeing war, she has also made the book more relevant and relatable to her audience by framing it familiar context. There is potential here for Pearlman to have stated more explicitly why this is so relevant for her readers, so that the stories could hold more impact. However, by omitting her own opinion, Pearlman has empowered those she interviewed to be the authentic and sole voices of the book. Pearlman herself has said that she did not write, but rather “curated” the book, empowering those she interviewed as the true writers of the book.

Overall, this book is an essential read for those interested in forced migration and human rights. It would equally be of interest to practitioners who have the power to influence refugee policy, and the general public alike. Several of those interviewed expressed their concern that the truth of the Syrian revolution would be lost if their stories are not revealed. Pearlman has now revealed their stories for others to listen to, by speaking with rather than about those affected. Now the stories of the Syrian revolution can be heard, preserved and retold. We Crossed a Bridge enables the reader to follow the revolution in the words of the very Syrians who experienced it in this powerful, timely, and necessary book.

Preeti graduated from the London School of Economics in 2019 with BSc Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. She is interested in inclusion, participation, migration, democracy, and data analysis. She works as a Consultant and also co-Heads the Democracy & Governance research programme in Agora, the UK's open forum for foreign policy.

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