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2nd out of 20 books
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13 voters
Babylon's Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo
Whenthe Iraq war began,conservationist Lawrence Anthony could think of only one thing: the fate of the Baghdad Zoo, located in the city center and caught in the war's crossfire.Once Anthonyentered Baghdad hediscoveredthat full-scale combatand uncontrolled looting had killed nearly all the animals of the zoo.
But not all of them. U.S. soldiershad takenthe time to helpcare fo...more
But not all of them. U.S. soldiershad takenthe time to helpcare fo...more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
March 6th 2007
by Thomas Dunne Books
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I know/understand basically nothing about the giant quagmire that is the Middle East, but THIS is how you make war real and horrible to me: remind me how it punishes innocent animals, especially the caged ones who can't run. Fortunately, it is a mostly inspiring story, filled with good guys at every turn. It's written in an engaging style with no politicizing, the animals always at the forefront, and it's wonderful to see people who do care.
The worst part is reading about how brazen and damagin...more
The worst part is reading about how brazen and damagin...more
When a friend recommended this book, it sounded like a book that I'd enjoy. Indeed I did enjoy it, and learned more about what life was like in Iraq after the fall of Baghdad. The South African author went to Baghdad to save animals that were left in the destroyed Baghdad Zoo. What he found was hard to believe. His heroic effort to bring life back to the small percentage of animals that survived the war was amazing. I found myself horrified and fascinated at the same time. This was a good read,...more
A fan of Anthony since reading "The Elephant Whisperer," I was quick to pick this up to see what adventures he could get himself into this time. "Babylon's Ark" takes Anthony out of the lush, natural setting of South Africa and puts him instead in the urban, war-torn, city of Baghdad with IEDs and flying bullets. The few remaining animals at the Baghdad Zoo not killed or stolen by local looters were in grave condition and upon arrival Anthony considers whether it wouldn't be most humane just to...more
Conservationist and Earth Organization founder Lawrence Anthony died in March at the age of 61. An insurance and real estate exec turned animal saviour, Anthony came to world attention in 2003 when, alarmed about what might be happening to the capital city’s zoo animals, he rushed to Iraq shortly after the American invasion. When he arrived, only a few weeks into the war, he discovered the zoo savaged by combat fire and ransacked by looters. The majority of the animals were gone, either killed b...more
While definitely not the pinnacle of good writing, the story is what counts here. I read about Lawrence Anthony and this book in a Sunday paper magazine in a pub and I knew I had to read it. I had no idea that there even was a Baghdad zoo (or a Kabul zoo for that matter), I suppose because I just didn't think about it. But that now makes me feel almost guilty after reading about what happened to these places and the animals in them that count on humans every day for their health and well-being.
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Wow. Just, wow. What a loss the world has experienced since Lawrence Anthony has died - and most of the world has no clue.
It never occurred to me that there was a zoo in Baghdad and despite knowing that the Hussein's kept exotic animals, I never once gave any thought to them until I heard of this book.
The insight that Mr. Anthony had into how to address issues, whether crisis issues or not, far exceeded their application on just a war-torn zoo.
In addition to relating the tales of saving the anim...more
It never occurred to me that there was a zoo in Baghdad and despite knowing that the Hussein's kept exotic animals, I never once gave any thought to them until I heard of this book.
The insight that Mr. Anthony had into how to address issues, whether crisis issues or not, far exceeded their application on just a war-torn zoo.
In addition to relating the tales of saving the anim...more
I have to say that I was pretty disappointed with this book. While the story is fantastic, the writing is pretty terrible and really diminished the quality of the book and distracted from the amazing story that could have been told. The story would have been much better served written by a "real" author. What I found fascinating, however, is the inside view of the front line of the Iraq War from the perspective of a civilian, both for the Iraqi citizens and the troops. The men and women who assi...more
I thought this was an incredible book because I had no idea that there was even a Baghdad Zoo. I was shocked at the condition that the animals were in and to have someone come all the way from South Africa to do what he could to save the animals that could be saved is absolutely astonishing.
I hate war of any kind. I hate all of the innocents caught in it who never did anything to deserve the awful consequences when one nation can't abide by another and the only way out is to just drop as many bo...more
I hate war of any kind. I hate all of the innocents caught in it who never did anything to deserve the awful consequences when one nation can't abide by another and the only way out is to just drop as many bo...more
This is how a non-fiction book should be written! This story of Mr. Anthony and his quest to save the animals of the Baghdad Zoo was entertaining, informative and fun to read. What it was NOT was super narcissistic and self-congratulatory like some of these books tend to be. Mr. Anthony wrote more about his experiences and the people he met and worked with than he did himself... refreshing! My only complaint is that he got a bit preachy at the end about man's rape and pillage of Earth's natural...more
It's no great secret that people don't really think about the non-human component of war and parts of this are, quite frankly, nauseating. Obviously the people involved with this story have a great deal of courage to do what they did. I have a great amount of respect for all involved. I also appreciate the fact that Anthony did not use this opportunity to delve into the moralality of zoos.
My major issue with this book is presentation of content. Anthony's strength is not as a writer, which is to...more
My major issue with this book is presentation of content. Anthony's strength is not as a writer, which is to...more
The author's purpose for writing the book was to explain what all was going on at the Baghdad Zoo when there was the invasion of Iraq by the US lead Coalition. It was a very big part in his life, and he wanted to share his story with everyone else.
The theme of this book was to do what you need to do even if it's dangerous. He was rescuing animals while there was a war going on. A lot of things could have, and did go wrong, and he stayed to help the animals that he cared so much for.
This book is...more
The theme of this book was to do what you need to do even if it's dangerous. He was rescuing animals while there was a war going on. A lot of things could have, and did go wrong, and he stayed to help the animals that he cared so much for.
This book is...more
This was a very inspring, eye-opening book!! Every human should read this book, it will defenitley change your veiws on today's society. It has a very deep meaning, especially the last chapter. The book was a brilliant book, which I could read over and over again. It was a beautiful tale!!
An interesting journey inside what must rate as the oddest of stories to come out of Iraq during the 2003 invasion. Lawrence Anthony is an inspiration to anyone who cares about animals and you will him to be successful in his mission to save the barely alive remnants of the Bagdad Zoo. Only criticism is that his style can get a little plodding at times. This was co-written and clearly he has had some help turning his notes and memories into prose and to create a narrative. But at times it verges...more
I only gave this a 3 star rating due to the fact that it didn't enthrall me like Anthony's other two books. The courage and heroism in this was amazing, I'm not taking away from that. However, I prefer the setting of the South African bush more than I do war-torn environments. The horrors Anthony and his team had to put up with I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. This is again another inspiring book from an inspiring author, however I felt the last chapter was a bit preachy. I agree with all of t...more
I happened across this book when a copy was donated for our library. As an animal lover, I had to browse through it and ended up not being able to put it down. The author is a South African wild life conservationist who goes to Iraq shortly after the American invasion to save the animals in the Baghdad Zoo. He arrives to find the zoo bombed, looted and what animals remain in terrible condition. the country is still a war zone so he faces many obstacles in trying to restore the zoo to satisfactor...more
During the chaos and fallout of the war in Iraq and the fall of Saddam's regime, the zoo in Baghdad suffered terribly. This is the story of the team -- including a South African man, the author -- who risked their lives to save the animals who survived the initial devastation. The book includes lots of graphic description of animal suffering, which was hard to read, but that made the ultimate success even sweeter.
The book was less about the individual animals than it was about the horrible real...more
The book was less about the individual animals than it was about the horrible real...more
Anthony, the “elephant whisperer” traveled to Baghdad just after Saddam Hussein’s fall from power to aid the animals at the Baghdad Zoo. The conditions he found there were much worse than he had imagined, and there was a lot of combat still going on in the city as well. However, a few American soldiers had been trying to keep the animals alive and there was a small group of zoo employees still on hand. The first great need was water, and they carried bucket after bucket from a nearby stagnant p...more
This really was an incredible book showing how so few people with so little can do so much if they put their minds to it. The author's descriptions of war-torn Baghdad give you a little bit of insight into what people (residents and soldiers) were going through there, but more importantly, they leave you amazed that any animals survived. It is hard to read about just how poorly animals are kept and cared for in some parts of the world, but if anything that goes to strengthen my commitment to con...more
For animal lovers this one is a must. This story is about one man's efforts to save the abandoned animals of the Baghdad Zoo, during the invasion of 2003. You will admire all of his work, be sickened by the state of the animals and will fall in love with the kind soldiers that end up following their hearts instead of their orders in many cases. Thank goodness for people like this author and everyone that helped him. I would be happy to read anything else he writes but even happier to actually wo...more
Jun 24, 2011
Nancy Scott
marked it as to-read
We had 2 American soldiers come to the Dallas Zoo to thank us for some vet books the zoo had donated. It was quite the ordeal all the trouble they had to go through to deliver the books to the Baghdad Zoo: a full on joint convoy with many vehicles including a mine sweeper. No UPS guy in brown shorts. The soldier who gave the presentation told us about some heart-wrrenching tales about what happened to the animals at the zoo as the war began, zoo staff fled, looters arrived, etc. He recommended t...more
When tragedy strikes, whether it is war or a natural disaster, the lives of people are everyone’s first priority. However, humans are not the only ones affected during tough times, and it seems that animals, who suffer as much if not more, are often forgotten about or left behind. In Lawrence Anthony’s Babylon’s Ark, the true-life rescue of the animals in war-torn Baghdad reminds us how truly devastating war can be on every being.
Beginning with the frantic rush to try to save Baghdad’s zoo, Lawr...more
Beginning with the frantic rush to try to save Baghdad’s zoo, Lawr...more
An inside look at the first 6 months of the Iraq war through the eyes of a South African conservationist who came to save the animals in the Baghdad Zoo. First hand accounts of the consequences of war on the humans and the environment are difficult to read especially if the account does not sanitize the conditions. (as this does not) In some of the most despicable and dangerous situations, the Iraqi people and the coalition forces were both extremely courageous or ultimately evil. It made me won...more
I learned recently that Lawrence Anthony died in March. I didn't know anything about him until I read this book, and even then, my knowledge was limited. Of course, it takes his death to learn more about him and find out that he was a respected leader for African wildlife conservation.
I'd seen this book at my library many times and finally decided to check it out due to some zoo research I've been doing. It was a very quick and engaging read. The story is about how Anthony found out about the pl...more
I'd seen this book at my library many times and finally decided to check it out due to some zoo research I've been doing. It was a very quick and engaging read. The story is about how Anthony found out about the pl...more
This is one of those memoirs that brings such depth to the description of, on the surface, a small project. When the United States invaded Iraq and took control of Baghdad, what happened to both the public zoo, and the private menagerie owned by the Hussein family? Somebody took the animals and found homes for them in other zoos, right? Actually, the truth is far more complicated. Zoo animals are much more fragile than housepets. They are used to a particular diet, a schedule, and handlers they...more
Finally! A nonfiction book that I absolutely love and adore! I can't believe I found one! Hooray! or should I say hooah![return][return]Lawrence Anthony is the founder of a wild animal preserve in South Africa who felt a calling after the invasion of Iraq in 2003. He had heard rumors of the best zoo in Arabia being decimated and that the animals were in desperate need of care. So he went. He knew the right people in the right places--ambassadors, bureaucrats, and military men who could get him i...more
I was amazed both by the devotion of a random South African conservationist and the Iraqi zoo workers, and the surprising connections the American soldiers and other military crews made with the desperate animals. I wouldn't have expected such an "anything for the animals" attitude in the midst of a warzone. The zoo never would have survived without the numerous random acts of generosity. There is also the flip side, with the general population of Baghdad pushed to such a point of chaos and desp...more
Apr 10, 2008
Johanna
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone - but especially animal enthusiasts
I learned a lot about what it was/is like in Iraq from an outsider's perspective at the heart of Baghdad just after the invasion - the hardships, violence, lack of sanitation, futility, and destruction. This one man's battle to save the remaining animals that were not stolen or killed in the zoo is an amazing documentation of courage, compassion, and determination. Lawrence Anthony has a big heart and an impressive amount of "liver," so to speak. ;)
I was struck by many things in this book - firs...more
I was struck by many things in this book - firs...more
This book tells the fascinating story of a conservationist from South Africa who decided to save the Baghdad Zoo in the middle of the Second Gulf War. He sweet-talked his way into Kuwait, bludgeoned and bonhomie-d his way from there in Iraq with a rented Toyota and two Kuwaiti zoo workers.
The story is stunning. Unfortunately, though Lawrence Anthony has many gifts, writing is not one of them. (Hence the presence of the co-author). The book's quality of writing, pacing and language are extremely...more
The story is stunning. Unfortunately, though Lawrence Anthony has many gifts, writing is not one of them. (Hence the presence of the co-author). The book's quality of writing, pacing and language are extremely...more
As soon as I read "The Elephant Whisperer" I bought this book. It charts another great conservation effort by Lawrence Anthony who travels to Baghdad during the war to rescue the forgotten and long suffering animals from the zoos and homes of royalty. Lawrence has a remarkable 'can do' attitude and his conservation efforts and his determination in horrific circumstances are humbling. He's a rare man who, instead of just recognising wrong, proactivly does something about it. Highly recommended.
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“Why do we so mindlessly abuse our planet, our only home? The answer to that lies in each of us. Therefore, we will strive to bring about understanding that we are--each one of us--responsible for more than just ourselves, our family, our football team, our country, or our own kind; that there is more to life than just these things. That each one of us must also bring the natural world back into its proper place in our lives, and realize that doing so is not some lofty ideal but a vital part of our personal survival.”
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“The basic common denominator of all life is the urge to survive, and the survival of life on Planet Earth is achieved only as a shared initiative with and through all life-forms. Life is a joint effort; no 'man' separate from 'nature.' Homo sapiens as individuals and as species are as much a part of life's overall thrust for survival as any other species. As living organisms, we are part if the greater whole, and as such, we are embodied with exactly the same fundamental purpose: to survive. And to do so--as individuals, families, groups, and as a species--we have to live in dynamic collaboration with the plant and animal kingdoms in a healthy, life-sustaining environment.”
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Jul 02, 2012 02:34am