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One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo
by Louise Callaghan
Book Reviewed by:Father of Lions is the powerful true story of the evacuation of the Mosul Zoo, featuring Abu Laith the zookeeper, Simba the lion cub, Lula the bear, and countless others, faithfully depicted by acclaimed, award-winning journalist Louise Callaghan in her trade publishing debut.
Combining a true-to-life narrative of humanity in the wake of war with the heartstring-tugging account of rescued animals, Father of Lions will appeal to audiences of bestsellers like The Zookeeper's Wife and The Bookseller of Kabul as well as fans of true animal stories such as A Streetcat Named Bob, Marley and Me, and Finding Atticus.
1
Abu Laith
Abu Laith was not the kind of man to let another man insult his lion. Especially not a man who looked like this.
He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, well pressed, and had the air of a civil servant. He carried a baby in the crook of his left arm. In his right hand he held a reed, plucked from the banks of the River Tigris, which he was using to poke Abu Laith's newly acquired lion cub, who was asleep in his cage.
The man's wife and the rest of his children stood nearby, watching sullenly. Despite his efforts, the poking was having no measurable effect on the lion, who wasn't moving at all. All of this registered in Abu Laith's mind as he ran at full pelt through the zoo towards the man, who had not seen him coming.
It was around 7.30 p.m. in the zoo by the Tigris, and the dusk was settling pink over Mosul's Old City. Families were sitting outside the zoo cafe drinking cold Pepsi and glasses of tea. The bears were reclining in their cages as Abu Laith charged past.
'What are ...
Here are some of the comments posted about Father of Lions in our legacy forum.
You can see the full discussion here.
Abu Laith and his family have a very different experience of the years living under siege than Hakam and his family do. Why do you think that is?
Different socioeconomic levels and education levels, as well as our childhoods, color our responses to situations. - BuffaloGirl
Abu Laith tells the children they’ll have to "go hungry sometimes to feed the animals." Some might think telling children they’ll have to go hungry is taking things too far. Do you agree or disagree?
It would be terrible to watch the animals starve, but it would be worse to see your children go hungry. That being said, there really didn't seem to be instances where he literally took food away from his children and gave it to the animals. - Junebug
Abu Laith's children are all very concerned about the animals' well-being. Why do you think this is? Are they emulating their father? Is it just that kids love animals? Or is it something else altogether?
A child’s initial response to animals seems to be curiosity and then to emulate their parents. If their parents love and care for animals, the children will, also. If the parents are scared of animals, the child most likely will, also. If the ... - BuffaloGirl
Both Dr. Amir and Abu Laith care deeply about the animals, but they differ in their approach and thinking. Can you think of any noticeable differences between the two men in their approach to animal husbandry?
Dr Amir was an educated vet and had much more education than Abu Laith on animal husbandry. Abu Laith got most of his animal education from watching the National Geographic channel which generally shows animals in their natural habitat. Abu Laith had... - kellyo
Caring about animals is used as a litmus test for being a good person throughout this story. Do you agree with that?
While I agree cruelty to animals definitely put a person in the ‘bad’ category, there’s a big difference between cruelty to animals, and simply not caring about them. - jennie r
This is a fascinating and sobering tale of life under ISIS in Mosul and one man's devotion to animals. It is populated with intriguing characters who are sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, but always human (Barbara E). It is wonderful to read how people who love animals can all come together to save them, especially during a conflict that puts their lives at risk (Gloria F). Louise Callaghan has produced a narrative of immeasurable courage, insight and love (Diane T)...continued
Full Review
(618 words)
(Reviewed by First Impressions Reviewers).
Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor, Channel 4 News and author of In Extremis: the life of war correspondent Marie Colvin
An unexpectedly funny and moving book. ... Through the story of a man who loves both lions and life, Louise Callaghan shows how humour and defiance can counter cruelty, and why both humans and animals crave freedom.Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city after Baghdad, lies on the banks of the Tigris River. Mosul's current boundaries encompass the remains of the old Assyrian city of Nineveh, and signs of civilization in the area date back as far as 8,000 years ago. From the 8th century onward, Mosul was considered a key cultural and economic hub, and it continued to build its influence during a series of dynasties lasting through the 12th century. It has since been the site of several conflicts and takeovers, including a Mongol invasion in 1258, Ottoman Turk rule from 1534 to 1918, British occupation after World War I, a U.S. raid in 2003 that led to the killing of Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay Hussein, and ISIS control from 2014 through 2017.
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