Two people, one city, different times; connected by a memoir. Can love exist in a city destined for decades of misery?Adnan leads a weary existence as a bookshop owner in modern-day, war-torn Baghdad, where bombings, corruption and assault are everyday occurrences and the struggle to survive has suffocated the joy out of life for most. But when he begins to clean out his bookshop of forty years … bookshop of forty years to leave his city in search of somewhere safer, he comes across the story of Ali, the Gardener of Baghdad, Adnan rediscovers through a memoir handwritten by the gardener decades ago that beauty, love and hope can still exist, even in the darkest corners of the world.
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This book painted an evocative picture of Iraq during the 50’s. It was educational and sensitive.
I loved this book, and the world it opened up to me. I could feel, smell, and taste Baghdad of once upon a time.
I’m trying to catch up on books lingering in my to-be-read pile and pulled this one out. It opens in a bookstore in Baghdad during modern times. With the current unrest and political fighting, Adnan, the owner of the bookstore, is afraid for his family but is undecided about leaving his beloved bookstore he inherited from his father. While dusting …
This book was awesome! We used it for our book club last month. I loved it so much I am sure I will read it again.
I was drawn to this book because it is set in Iraq, a country I know very little about, and because it is about a gardener. It’s a love story so the political details I craved to know were less well developed than I had hoped for. Also, as a gardener, I was left wondering whether the author knows anything about gardening or simply has romantic …
I love reading about other cultures and especially since there are so many preconceptions about society in Iran I appreciated this book. It is a very old and history filled part of the World and this book really brought the beauty as well as the humanity of this culture to light. This was an easy read and kept me interested until the surprising …
I was reluctant to download this book, but after reading it, I’m very glad I did. A forbidden love set in an historical era of political and social unrest makes for a great read.
In a world that cautions us about anyone that doesn’t look like you or think like you, this book was a breath of fresh air!
Interesting story but very simple writing.
Excellent story
Enjoyed the bokd, the ending was too predictable
A sweet book. Romance but has a little history of Iraq in it. If you like romance and happy endings, it is a good one. Not a very good writer but….
Interesting premise that deserved a more realistic handling.
A surprising novel, but thoroughly enjoyable. The story seemed like it was going to be a given ending, but it surprised me, in a good way. I definitely recommend it!
A fascinating tale of the spirit of the people of Iraq and the love of Baghdad when you boil down all the mixture of undercurrents to the simple truth that everyone just wishes to live their lives and cherish their families. A fascinating love story.
Boring never got off the ground for me
Easy read but ending seemed rushed
Enjoyed characters and a bit of Iraqi history
I really enjoyed this book. The harshness of Iraq after the interminable wars; how people coped….excellent
A romantic tale set in the middle east 50 yrs ago; great insight into a culture with a surprising twist at the very end. Enjoyable read.