The Gardener of Baghdad

By: Ahmad Ardalan

Narrated by: Randal Schaffer

"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 40 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.

©2014 Ahmad Ardalan (P)2017 Ahmad Ardalan

great book

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet love story between 2 people from very different cultures. easy read. easy to listen to. great facts about Baghdad in the 1950s

a simple interesting story

it was interesting I learned some information about my beloved Baghdad were I knew few about

A beautiful escape to the Baghdad of the past...

I loved this story. It swept me away from the beginning and I devoured it quickly. The Gardener of Baghdad by Ahmad Ardalan was a classic love story that takes place primarily in 1950's Baghdad. Adnan is a local book store owner who is starting to go though some of his most prized books in order to sell the bookstore, as Baghdad has just become too unsafe for his family. It's while he is going through his books one evening that he finds a story hidden in a French book cover, a story that was written by Ali, the Gardener of Baghdad, and his Mary, back in the 1950's.

The story tells of a forbidden romance, civil unrest, murder, love, friendship and was written so beautifully that I could picture the Baghdad of the 1950's as I was reading it. What a different world, but with similarities to present day Baghdad as well. Are there some things that may seem a little far fetched as other reviews have mentioned? Yes, but this is a fiction novel. I always expect there to be a bit of artistic license with a few things that may be a tad unbelievable. I mean, I love James Bond movies. Are they anywhere realistic? Um...no. lol

Anyways, I just really enjoyed this book. I don't want to give away the story within the story other than to say that it's a love story but parts are sad as well. The ending ties everything up well though, so you aren't left with questions. Also, I found the pace of the book to be perfect, and never found myself getting bored at all.

Randal Schaffer did fine job narrating. I did notice a few spots where he had gone and re-recorded something at a later point because the tone and cadence didn't quite match, but that is so minuscule in the overall narration, that I didn't take away any stars for that. I think he was a good narrator for this novel and would listen to more of his performances in the future.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for an honest review. If it sounds interesting, give it a listen. It was great!

I'm speachless...

It's tempting to say that the narration was a highlight of this book, the character voices were fabulous especially the accents, the delivery was smooth well-paced, and overall it was engaging to listen to. However as great as the narration was, I loved everything equally about this book.

The book covers two different time periods with the characters some appearing in both and something strictly in one or the other, the two times are woven together in a very skillful manner.

The characters in this book and the descriptions are vividly created and painted beautiful images within my mind both of places and personalities. The emotions that are involved in the story pour off the page and it was impossible not feel for everything that the characters were going through.

From the first page until the last I found myself desperate to know what was going to happen next and whether things were going to work out how I hope they would all way if there would be a twist at some point. There were definitely interesting twists in the book, but not necessarily where I was expecting them to be and I certainly wasn't expecting the end to be what it was... but I'm not going to give that away.

I've read a lot of books this year (over 600) and I can honestly say that this is one of my favorites.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

Not like any other stories I have read before

I’m Iraqi from Aladhamya city in Baghdad. Alsafeena area to be specific. The location where most events of this story happened. l left Iraq 17 years ago; right after 2003. I felt so connected to this book and to the characters, like I know them. I smiled a lot and cried a lot. Now I need to send this book as a gift to my parents who lived in the beautiful Baghdad during that time. Many thanks to the author and to the narrator.

An impressive look at a time and place now gone.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. I'm glad AudioBoom gave me the opportunity to listen to The Gardener of Baghdad because it's probably not something I would have picked up on my own, and I'm very grateful I had the chance to experience it. The storytelling had a few minor problems, one of which was word choices that occasionally rang false given the time, location, and the narrator's - the book's narrator, not Mr. Schaffer's - non-native fluency in English. But the story was mostly a credible one, with a particularly satisfying finish. (And it's in the "mostly" that the story loses a star: no woman could really have been THAT beautiful or that perfect, etc.) The largest part of the book takes place in the mid-50s in Baghdad, and though there were constant political tensions, it nevertheless was a city of learning, culture, and order. The protagonist is given refuge for a time with Kurds in the north, and it is heartbreaking to know how their land/culture has been ripped apart in the recent past. I'm truly glad I listened, and I'd recommend the book to anyone wanting a glimpse of a world now gone.

nice story in interesting time that faded away

It is good to hear about Iraq not only in terms of the bombing but to reflect the amazing past it had just a few decades ago. The story is nice and optimistic. the narration is clear and easy to follow. great pass time in heavy traffic to work

Gardener of Bagdad

Lovely story a bit drag cause of too much time spend on Ali’s gardening details. Ending is absolutely wonderful and I was not expecting it so a nice surprise. Overall a good book.

Wonderful story!

It was during a long day at work and thinking of selling his bookstore, Adrian comes upon a book that he did not recall seeing there before. Taking the book in hand, he realizes that is tye memoir of a young man who fell in love with an English woman. Adian is captivated and reads the entire memoir of the young man who wrote it more than 40 years ago.
The Gardener of Baghdad is a beautiful and heartwarming story of two young people of different race and religion who fell in love and their struggles to be together. This story does not only captivates you with its characters but gives you an insight of how it was ub Iraq.
This is a great story, one to read or listen to, whichever you prefer.

Words Live Like Memories

Identity. Relationship. Love. Revolution. Baghdad in the fifties. Words shared have a life of their own, just like memories. <u>The Gardener of Baghdad</u> is a story that draws you in with a sense of connection between the characters that are so well developed that they seem like neighbors. Happiness pervades life in Baghdad. But, underneath a current of fear and simmering anger ride waves of race division. But, love finds a way.

I chose this book for my stop in Baghdad on my Journey Around the World in 80 Books for 2018 at the recommendation of a friend. It sounded interesting from the info, but I did not expect the beautiful story that unfolded. This is a fictional read that anyone could enjoy reading from start to finish. And, what a finish! I stopped my Arabian stallion to smell the roses here in Baghdad, and traded him for a ticket on <u>The Great Railway Bazaar</u> with Paul Theroux. And now it is time to board the train to Iran and beyond. All aboard!