I’m trying to catch up on books lingering in the depths of my to-be-read pile and pulled this one out. The Gardener of Baghdad 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 his special collection of antique books, he finds a hidden memoir, written during another period of unrest earlier in Iraq’s history.
The memoir depicts the life of Ali, a young farm boy who, with the guidance of an older man and his wife, learns English and all about botany. A bright, successful young man, Ali builds a well-known garden design business. Eventually, Ali falls in loves with Mary, a young British woman, daughter of a general. Despite coming from two very different worlds, they fall in love and marry. Political unrest makes their life harrowing as they try to escape both the British and Iraqi military.
This book is a love story to the Baghdad of old as well as love between Ali and Mary. It’s sweet and gentle, full of hope, despite the long-term effects of civil unrest in the city.
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The Gardener of Baghdad is available from Amazon
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