Anonymous Iraqi Blogger Nominated for Major Literary Prize

Riverbend, the anonymous Iraqi woman who authors the powerfully written Baghdad Burning blog, was nominated today as a contender for Britain's prestigious $36,000 Samuel Johnson prize - the world's richest non-fiction prize. The blog is an account of the Iraq war and its deadly impact on ordinary Iraqi people, and an advocate of US withdrawal.

Riverbend began the blog on August 17 2003. She wrote: "I'm female, Iraqi and 24. I survived the war. That's all you need to know. It's all that matters these days anyway."

While many anonymous blogs are specious, some actually have a reason to exist.