Babylon's Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo

As an animal lover I deeply admired the dedication and commitment from the author in restoring the Baghdad Zoo. It snowed real courage to go into a war torn country to do what he done and he should be commended for it. This book has been on my list for ages and that's me finally gotten round to trying it. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The emotional roller coaster that the reader is taken on, the detailed accounts of the appalling conditions he found, the people he met and the surprising humanity he encountered from unexpected sources made me feel as though I was right there with him.

I am writing a book about rescuing a zoo that has been devastated by an earthquake so found this book riveting and it confirmed that I was on the right track about the the lack of resources. I didn’t find the proselytism about saving the planet very interesting as I don’t need lecturing about that - I’m anxious enough about it already! Very skilfully written - well done Graham Spence!

I opened this book and finished it in two reading sessions, in short I could not put it down. Lawrence Anthony's stunning detailed account of the appalling conditions he found, the people he met on this adventure and the surprising humanity he encountered from unexpected sources made me feel as though I was right there with him. In this book, you live the dust,the heat, the stench,the day to day fight to survive in a war zone, the frustration of bureaucracy, the camaraderie of those around him and the extraordinary determination to save the animals. Lawrence Anthony's account is one of incredible perseverance and resolve under extreme conditions and is both tragic and heartwarming. His admiration for the Iraqi people who risked their lives to help on this mission shines through this book. The assistance he received from the American troops was quite a revelation. Having achieved so much, we can share with the author, the frustration and sadness of the mindless incident towards the end of the book. I wept and laughed many times. Lawrence Anthony comes across as a person with deep empathy for humans and animals alike and would be a fascinating character to meet. An unmissable read.

This is one of the best books I have read in many years. The amazing story of the author is a remarkable tale of an individual who just would take no for an answer in the face of often insurmountable obstacles. His courage and determination to save a group of animals that everyone else had given up on is a real inspiration not only to animal lovers but also restores faith in the fact that there are still some unselfish individuals that risk everything to make a real difference to our environment and the beautiful creatures that inhabit it. The emotional roller coaster that the reader is taken on has all the hallmarks of a classic Hollywood movie so come on Tom Hanks and Steven Speilburg grab this story by the scruff of the neck and tell the world of this remarkable man and his truly inspiring exploits!!!

Gripping

I have only read 33 pages so far, but the book is so interesting and so good, I felt compelled to write a review. No one should wait to order this book. Whether you love animals or not, this is one book that everyone should read. It may, just may, bring home the horrors of war and animal abuse and prevent what happened there taking place in your own lives by teaching a few lessons. We really need to look at ourselves, our selfishness, our cruelty, our lack of understanding in many global issues and change our attitudes if our children are not to suffer more of what went on in Iraq and what is happening in a lot of countries. Kindness and understanding of animals is the first step towards understanding and caring for humans, for our children and putting at least some stop to the misery and suffering of so many. Wars bring nothing but destruction to so many. But man carries on with his selfish attitude. However, amongst all this there are some very brave, kind and caring people, too few sadly, who can restore some faith in humanity. Please do read it, you will not want to put it down.

I have to confess to being a bit of a Lawrence Anthony fan. Ever since I read his book on elephants I have been hooked and immediately devoured this book and his one on rhinos. As a man who lived a full and fascinating life and to read his stories feels like a real privilege. More than just the animals (and there is plenty on them) his books also contain great insights into cultures and traditions and the psychology of teams achieving more than they thought possible. He brings humans and animals together and gave me a real sense of us all being connected without ever being preachy or too 'goody-two-shoes' (if you know what I mean). For that reason his books are inspirational read and I struggle to imagine anyone who is interested in these subjects being disappointed.

This book was beautifully written and has touched my heart and soul. I want to share this book with my family and friends. We all need to take responsibility to make our world a better place for ALL living things. Thank you Lawrence!

Great book. Wars are a given between humans (we are so stupid) but animals should never suffer because of our stupidity. This book tells the story of the devastating consequences the Irak war brought on to the innocent animals left to die at the zoo. But this story applies to all conflicts because it is a given that in all cases the animals ( pets, farm, wild) are always left behind and ignored. When is humanity going to understand that when we talk of life on this planet it is not only the human life that should be considered. Life includes animals land and marine, nature again land and marine. We are killing what feeds and sustains us. Like I said WE HUMANS ARE SO STUPID! We are on target (one that we will not miss) to our obliteration!

I'm not much of a nonfiction reader, but after hearing about Lawrence Anthony's book on the CBS Sunday Morning News I had to have it. Ever slowed down the car to let a squirrel or goose get out of your way? Ever caught a small bird or mouse in your garage and taken it outside to set free? Although your animal-loving efforts are certainly appreciated, you will never believe the conflicts Anthony faced to save the Baghdad zoo. Arriving on the cusp of the war, Anthony discovers most of the animals have died of starvation or been stolen by looters. With only 36 animals left, guns firing in the distance, food and supplies stolen, and only a handful of people for a staff, Anthony questions whether he should shoot the animals to end their misery or do what he came to Iraq to do. Save the zoo! As an outsider, Anthony paints an amazing picture of a war-torn country, surrounded by American troops, but his focus stays on the animals. The story he tells of the animals that have survived, either because they have sharp claws or teeth (or both) and could defend themselves, is just haunting. His struggles to provide food, water, and safety are a never ending battle. It was also good to read how many American soldiers helped provide aide. Some soldier's bought an entire flock of sheep with their own money for Anthony to use as food for the carnivores. Lawrence was also responsible for setting up an Iraqi SPCA which closed down a black market zoo and rescued tons of animals that were in even worse conditions. They also went in search of Saddam's million-dollar Arabian horses after they came up missing from Saddam's palace, and they rescued a pack of lions from Uday Hussein's abandoned palace. The stories and struggles are never ending, but Lawrence's determination will definitely inspire you. So far, this is the best book I've read all year! I doubt any other book of such strength and will could ever come close! Animal lover or not, don't miss out on this story. It's a different side of the war that television and news deprives us of!

A very good enjoyable and interesting read, people risking their lives for the love of animals, quite right to.

Já havia lido os outros dois livros do Anthony, sobre os elefantes em Tula-Tula e sobre o resgate de rinocerontes. Por isso tinha vontade de ler este sobre o resgate dos animais do Zoo de Bagdá durante a Guerra do Golfo. No mesmo estilo dos outros dois Anthony e Spence descrevem as dificuldades para o resgate dos animais em meio a uma zona de guerra. O livro é triste em alguns momentos, pois a situação no meio da guerra trás o pior do ser humano, mas também mostra a dedicação de algumas pessoas para ajudar a salvar os animais que restaram. Para quem gosta de animais recomendo todos os três livros de Lawrence Anthony que, infelizmente, nos deixou antes da hora.