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Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo

Louise Callaghan

4.13 · Rating details · 568 ratings · 147 reviews

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 acc ...more

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Hardcover, 400 pages

Published January 14th 2020 by Forge (first published September 5th 2019)

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Nov 03, 2019 Diane S ☔ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5000-2019, lor-2019

What an absolutely incredible story. A true story full of heart, living under ISiS, war, hope andd those who care, even putting themselves in danger for a few helpless animals.

Mosul was once a vibrant city, s city of families, where a young girl could play hop scotch in front of her house. All this changes when ISIS arrives. Soon many are thrown out of their houses, others hide in their houses, and public execution become a daily event. What food there is available is expensive and many do not ...more

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Jan 14, 2020 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it it was amazing

When something tragic happens, are you one of those people who worries about the animals? I definitely am. Like when ISIS occupied Mosul, a zoo needed to be evacuated. That’s the true story at the heart of Father of Lions.

ISIS arrives in beautiful, once thriving, Mosul. All at once, most everything is lost, especially safety.

Abu Laith bottlefed Zombie as a young lion cub and has other animals in his care. He is also “wanted,” and there are limits to what he can do on top of the general threats o ...more

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Dec 11, 2019 Chrissie rated it really liked it

Shelves: fauna, relationships, adventure, humor, audible-uk, history, 2019-read, religion, iraq, politics

The title, Father of Lions: The Remarkable True Story of the Mosul Zoo Rescue, informs a prospective reader that the book’s central topic is the rescue of animals from a zoo in Mosul. What it does not tell you is that it is as much about the rescue of the animals as it is about the terrible two-and-a-half-year-long ISIS occupation of the city Mosul in Iraq. View this as a word of warning. This is not simply a heart-warming tale about animals. Neither is it made clear that in fact only two animal ...more

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Jan 03, 2020 Patricia rated it really liked it

Shelves: advance-reader-s-copy, military-action, war, death, zoo-animals

FATHER OF LIONS takes place in Mosul, Iraq after 2 and a half years of ISIS occupation and fighting. At the Mosul zoo, the animals are starving and dying, as are the people. Abu Laith is an animal lover and tries his best to protect and care for the animals. Word gets to Austria to an animal charity which rescues animal. I loved everything about this book. It helped me understand life in Iraq at this time. I loved the cooperation of so many diverse people to save the animals. I believe this is a ...more

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Feb 17, 2020 Cathrine ☯️ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: popsugar2020, arc

5 🦁 🦁 🦁 🦁 🦁
What an amazing story! It reads like fiction as it transports you to war torn Iraq.
As ISIS moves in and overtakes Mosul, the reader is right in the thick of it. I come away with better understanding and empathy for those whose lives were so destroyed, losing almost everything to death, violence, and despair. Much sadness here but surprisingly, humor also.
Abu Laith, what a character. I would love to meet him, and Dr. Amir, my kind of humans.

"The soldiers walked into the zoo. The comman ...more

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Feb 05, 2020 Wendy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: feb-20, 5000-2020, this-is-why-i-read

A great book makes me feel like I am living in the story. This book did just that!
News Journalist and Author Louise Callaghan gives us a retelling of actual events from the perspective of several inhabitants of Mosul during the city's occupation by ISIS. To read about their daily nightmares to stay alive was intensely sad, horrific, yet educational and necessary.
Amid the chaos one man, Abu Laith, does his best to care for and protect the animals of the Mosul Zoo, much to his wife's chagrin. As c ...more

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Dec 19, 2019 Athena (OneReadingNurse) rated it it was amazing

Thank you so much to Bookish First and Forge books for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Well shit, that put me into a book coma.

I put the post script down and looked some of the people up on Facebook, and seeing that three year gap in their posts just made this book so, so incredibly real. Seriously you can look up Hakam's band on youtube! I am not sure where the videos were filmed, hopefully Mosul, and they're pretty talented

Alright anyway - based on true people and events duri ...more

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Nov 27, 2019 Cindy Burnett rated it really liked it

Father of Lions tells the tale of the ISIS occupation of Mosul, Iraq, in the mid-2010s through the lens of Abu Laith (known as the “Father of Lions”) and his attachment to certain animals from the Mosul Zoo. While the story related to the lions and other animals is interesting, I found the descriptions and details of Mosul’s ISIS occupation and its residents various responses to the occupation to be the most fascinating and compelling portions of the book.

To say war is terrible is stating the o Father of Lions tells the tale of the ISIS occupation of Mosul, Iraq, in the mid-2010s through the lens of Abu Laith (known as the “Father of Lions”) and his attachment to certain animals from the Mosul Zoo. While the story related to the lions and other animals is interesting, I found the descriptions and details of Mosul’s ISIS occupation and its residents various responses to the occupation to be the most fascinating and compelling portions of the book.

To say war is terrible is stating the obvious. However, almost the entire time that I was reading this book, I just kept thinking how absolutely horrific and inhumane war is, not only to those that are fighting but also for those living in cities and towns that are under siege. Callaghan’s focus is on the civilians in Mosul, people who had already been living under tense and somewhat restrictive conditions due to the ongoing war in Iraq even before ISIS arrived. She describes their everyday lives and how almost every single aspect of their existence was altered. Callaghan also skillfully imbues the story with the cultural, societal and religious norms found in present-day Iraq allowing the reader to better understand the impact of the occupation on the city’s residents.

Wary of the ISIS soldiers after they took control of the city, the Moslawis (Mosul residents) were pleased to find that initially life did not change much under the new regime - other than the abandonment of the various checkpoints that had been in place and slowed things down under the Iraqi army’s rule. However, ISIS was smart and waited until the city had settled and adjusted to what residents thought was the new norm. Only then did ISIS begin to implement their tyrannical rules such as a complete ban on smoking, full coverage of women including their eyes, closing down movie theaters, imposing a strict curfew, and much more. Not only were the residents’ freedoms severely curtailed, there was almost constant sniper fire and random killings and beheadings in the streets of Mosul.

Father of Lions is a tough read, but I am so glad that I read it and feel I have a better understanding of some of the issues at play in Iraq in this century. This knowledge certainly makes me thankful for my freedom and infinitely more sympathetic to those who have had to endure not only ISIS, but really decades of war.

Listen to my podcast at https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com for fun author interviews. For more book reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro.... ...more

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Oct 05, 2019 Diane Yannick rated it it was amazing

I reviewed this ARC for Book Browse. Its publication date is January 2020. Louise Callaghan, the author, spent a huge chunk of time researching and writing this true account of the Mosul zoo. This reader, for one, is very grateful. The backdrop is Iraq during the reign of Isis. I have a much better understanding of what this occupation was like after reading this book. The hunger, the attacks, the inhumanity all became real. Abu Laith, the father of the lions, was one of the most unique characte ...more

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Nov 25, 2019 Nancy rated it really liked it

Shelves: bookish

Ordinary people in extraordinary times can accomplish the heroic.

Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo by Louise Callaghan tells the story of the people who worked to save the Mosul Zoo animals under unimaginable circumstances. The privations of wartime, the societal and political shifts under ISIS, and the extraordinary measures taken to extract the animals are vividly rendered.

Abu Laith loved animals. As a boy, he brought home two dogs who became his constant comp Ordinary people in extraordinary times can accomplish the heroic.

Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo by Louise Callaghan tells the story of the people who worked to save the Mosul Zoo animals under unimaginable circumstances. The privations of wartime, the societal and political shifts under ISIS, and the extraordinary measures taken to extract the animals are vividly rendered.

Abu Laith loved animals. As a boy, he brought home two dogs who became his constant companions, which set him apart in a society that condemned dogs as unclean. He learned everything he could about wildlife from National Geographic and dreamed of creating his own zoo where the animals had open spaces instead of cages.

Upset by the neglect of the zoo animals across the street from his Mosul home, he contacted the distant zoo owner and became the zookeeper. He hand-raised a baby lion he called Zombie. He loved the lions and bears and monkeys and took great pride in their care.

When ISIS took over Mosul and set up camp in the zoo, Abu Laith went into hiding with his family. He fretted over his beloved animals' neglect, but under threat from ISIS was unable to leave his home. He hired a man out of his own pocket to care for the zoo.

And then the Iraq war came.

For over two and a half years, Abu Laith endeavored to keep his beloved animals alive. At the end of the ISIS occupation of the zoo, there were only a few starving animals left. A former government scientist became involved and contacted an Austrian charity that rescued animals. Egyptian veterinarian Dr. Amir risked everything to bring the remaining animals out of Mosul.

Life in Mosul before and during ISIS occupation is central to the story. One of the most difficult scenes involved Abu Laith's wife giving birth--unable to even raise the veil covering her face!

During the war, families squeezed into one room while under bombardment, enduring long hours of boredom and isolation. It was a struggle to find food and dangerous to even prepare it.

After the war, women lifted their unveiled, pale faces to the sun for the first time in years. The streets once again were filled with people. Zombie was repatriated to his native element. And readers rejoice with their reclaimed freedom.

I received an ARC through Bookish First in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. ...more

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Mar 25, 2020 Therese rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

Wavering between 3 to 4 stars. This was, indeed, an incredible true story, learning about the horrendous circumstances of life in Mosul during ISIS occupation, and how the fighting affected the animals at the local zoo, as well as the people that had to live through it. The end of the book was especially exciting as we find out about the zoo animals, who had suffered during war time activities, and what happens to them after ISIS was driven out. The extent to which a small group of people tried ...more

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Dec 10, 2020 Deepika rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

By the time he was eighteen, Imad had discovered an immutable fact: animals were better than people.

The war was at his door, the ISIS waited to behead him, and he was cooped up in his house along with his wife, and a lot of children. And none of those predicaments perturbed Abu Laith (Imad). What made him despondent was the inhuman condition of his Zombie (a lion cub), Mother (a lioness), Father (a lion), Lula (a bear), a bear cub, and many other animals who were stranded in Mosul Zoo during the By the time he was eighteen, Imad had discovered an immutable fact: animals were better than people.

The war was at his door, the ISIS waited to behead him, and he was cooped up in his house along with his wife, and a lot of children. And none of those predicaments perturbed Abu Laith (Imad). What made him despondent was the inhuman condition of his Zombie (a lion cub), Mother (a lioness), Father (a lion), Lula (a bear), a bear cub, and many other animals who were stranded in Mosul Zoo during the war. How would he keep the animals alive? How would he even take a quick trip to the zoo to ensure that it wasn’t bombed? At the heart of Louise Callaghan’s Father of Lions: How One Man Defied Isis and Saved Mosul Zoo lies the truth that…

…good things come from being kind to animals.

The help arrived in the form of Dr Amir Khalil, a conflict rescue vet, who was as determined as Abu Laith to free the animals. But humans struggle to understand why anybody would risk their life to liberate a pack of wild animals when millions of humans were engulfed by the war. Humans ridiculed Dr Amir, threw funny glances at him, made the rescue process unnecessarily difficult for him, but people like Dr Amir, and Abu Laith always knew that one should not be coerced to choose between humans, and animals, and if hurdles were intentionally planted on their way, they would jump over them, come what may. There should be enough room on this planet for every sentient being.

If people cared for animals, they should care for humans, and if they cared for humans, they should care for animals. Kindness should not be divided.

A year ago, I was mixing food for Ramu, a stray dog whom I befriended on my cycling route, and for reasons which I still don’t fathom, Ramu growled, and held my hand roughly for a brief moment. Dogs understand, and wait patiently when their food is being prepared, but Ramu was going down the hill already. He couldn’t see that I was trying to help him. The way he held my hand felt like a bite, and I went to the nearest hospital to start the rabies vaccine course. The receptionist at the hospital quizzed me to gather information for a report, and he loudly wondered, “You tried to feed a stray, and the dog bit you. Why do people still do it? Life is busy, and hard as it is. Why do people create time for animals, and even let animals hurt them?” Next time when I come across that question, I am going to recommend Callaghan’s book as the answer.

Wherever humans suffered, animals suffered too. Their food, their care and their lives were almost always the first casualties of war: pet dogs left to starve because the owners had to feed their children, zoo animals abandoned when keepers fled from fighting.

Anu Boo – my dog – is my best friend. Every once in a while, when I stay awake until the darkest hour – 3 AM – of the night, I would be visited by a sort of anxiety that I know too well. “Am I equipped enough to protect Anu Boo if a catastrophe falls upon us?” I ask myself. I play several scenarios in my head, add layers after layers of what-ifs, and I reach for the answers impatiently as though walking through a maze. Sometimes, the answers are comforting. Sometimes, the answers are so inadequate that I punch the walls of the maze. And that’s why books like this one become important. They are written to tell us that it’s okay to love animals despite knowing that we will live longer than them, and to tell us that there are people like us, and they will see us for the way we hold animals in our hearts. ...more

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Feb 24, 2020 Zubs Malik rated it really liked it

FATHER OF LIONS

I have read so many books about ISIS occupation, war and terror. The harm and danger to life is still very real in the middle east as I type these words. Homes destroyed; families torn apart – so so much blood shed. But what ISIS/Taliban didn’t break and will never break is the resilience and HEART of the people of Iraq, Syria, Iran and Afghanistan.

Stories of Abu Laith (father of lions) and many like him, brave and courageous souls will not be destroyed, and I thank the author f ...more

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Feb 13, 2020 Anita rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, set-in-the-middle-east, audiobook, 3-and-a-half-stars

When a country is at war, it is not only human lives that are at risk, so too are the fates of animals in captivity, as are objects of historical and cultural significance, all of which cannot easily or quickly be spirited away to safety. Throughout history, it is not uncommon for combatants (be it the occupiers or the resistance) to transform zoos into military bases. I suppose the rationale is that the locale provides a more innocuous cover for covert activities, and thereby, a little less lik ...more

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Jan 31, 2020 Aspen rated it really liked it

This book was very informative and inspiring. It did a wonderful job showing readers the reality of living in a war zone. I was shocked by so much of the information presented in the book, and I actually ended up doing some additional research on the war in Iraq, as well as ISIS. My goal this year is read more books outside of my comfort zone, books that will help me learn about important issues. My only problem with this book is that it did get fairly repetitive. Overall, great read, especially ...more

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Mar 18, 2020 Jennifer rated it liked it

When Isis militants drive off the Iraqi military and take over Mosul life changes in an instant. No longer are the zoo animals the only ones living in cages. Soon women are forced to cover themselves from head to toe and a beard trim can cost a man his life. Amidst the chaos is Abu Laith, self appointed zookeeper and lover of animals, who is determined to see his both his human and fur family through the war, no matter the cost.

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Mar 21, 2020 Karen Decatur rated it really liked it

Truly enjoyed this book! I like her writing style. Not my normal genre, but will read more by Louise Callaghan

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Jan 11, 2020 Betty rated it really liked it

This book is much more than a book about a zookeeper and his animals. Callaghan writes of the occupation of Mosul by Daesh, the new laws invoked that make daily life very difficult for the citizens of Mosul, the threat of constant attacks, the fear of leaving their homes in order to escape the notice of the jihadis, Iraqi history and culture.

As the fighting between the government forces and militants intensifies in Mosul, the animals in the zoo are starving. The lives of the Mosul residents are This book is much more than a book about a zookeeper and his animals. Callaghan writes of the occupation of Mosul by Daesh, the new laws invoked that make daily life very difficult for the citizens of Mosul, the threat of constant attacks, the fear of leaving their homes in order to escape the notice of the jihadis, Iraqi history and culture.

As the fighting between the government forces and militants intensifies in Mosul, the animals in the zoo are starving. The lives of the Mosul residents are turned upside down as they now live with the constant fear of coming to the attention of the jihadis. Women who had worn western-style clothing now are required to wear the suffocating garb demanded by ISIS. A strict curfew was invoked. Food becomes scarce and very expensive. People live under the threat of constant attacks.

The story centers on Abu Laith who was always a lover of animals. He risks his life to keep the animals alive while having to make difficult decisions in order to keep his family safe. He has a special attachment to the little lion Zombie. Callaghan introduces us to Dr. Amir who is an international rescue vet that becomes aware of the dire situation of the animals in Iraq,

Callaghan performed extensive research to bring us the true story of Abu Laith and his bravery in protecting the animals of Mosul. She details the atrocities and cruelness of a country at war. But she also reveals the compassion and humaneness that can still be found among the ruins. While many thought Abu Laith should just kill the animals for meat, he refused. He truly loved and respected the animals and fought for their lives.

It was a difficult read for me. I ached for the animals who were at the mercy of humans and were fortunate to have Abu Laith fight for them. I also ached for the humans whose lives would never be normal again, people at the mercy of power-hungry, crazy people who hid under the cover of religious fanatics. It was especially painful for me as I worked with the Iraqi military and felt the aftermath of the assassination of a couple of them. Men who only wanted peace and security for their children and grandchildren.

Thank you to BookishFirst for the advance copy to review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

...more

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Jan 26, 2020 Barbara rated it it was amazing

Living under ISIS occupation for 2 to 3 years was a living hell for citizens of Mosul, Iraq. Almost all of the animals died from slow starvation in the city zoo. Father of Lions details the suspense and suffering of people and animals quite remarkably. I am so fortunate to live in a country where freedom is top notch. It’s hard to believe this is Louise Callaghan’s debut book. It’s an excellent idea to list all of the people at the beginning of the book along with a brief explanation of their ro ...more

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Apr 28, 2020 Carolyn rated it really liked it

This story depicts the dangers of life under ISIS for both humans and animals. Engaging and heartbreaking at times.

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Oct 03, 2019 Nicole Wagner rated it really liked it

I received this book as a free advance reader copy from the publisher, and as usual when starting a new ARC, I didn't know what to expect.

This book started out pretty slowly, introducing us to two Iraqi families and chronicling the takeover of ISIS. Far from being a journalistic commentary on Middle Eastern relations, though, the actions of ISIS are depicted as gradually moving from tiresome, to ridiculous, to outrageous, to baffling, to terrifying. Everyone does their level best to keep life as ...more

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Jan 15, 2020 Ira Therebel rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, animals, middle-east

I usually agree with Abu Laith that animals are better than people. But then people like him and Dr. Amir come and show that humans can be just as great as animals.

Most of the book doesn't tell much about the zoo and the animals. We are told about the ISIS occupied city Mosul in Iraq. This is where Abu Laith lives and this is where the zoo he cares so much about is located. We get to read about them struggling through 2+ years of occupation. What their daily life was and the dangers they were fa ...more

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Nov 17, 2019 Denise rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, giveaway

I was fortunate to be randomly selected by Forge Publishers for an ARC. I debated between a three or four stars ratings for this very readable book but opted for the three. Just my personal opinion but I believe the editor needed to work with the author on shortening the back story of Abu Laith as it did not add to the book. The people of Mosul are courageous and I can't begin to imagine how they managed their daily lives. I appreciated the postscript so we were not left hanging as to what has h ...more

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Mar 11, 2020 RivkaBelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, library-finds, history

True story: picked this up because of the cover + title. The story I found on the pages inside? Wow. Just wow ... the fact that it's true made it that much more powerful.
This is recent history - I remember the invasion of Mosul - but reading about it through the perspective of a handful of people who lived through it? Incredible. While the focus is on the animals, the Mosul Zoo, it's also on the resilience and sheer dogged determination to survive of the citizens. The challenges (and dangers ...more

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Jan 13, 2020 Karen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs-netgalley-bookishfirst

What would you do in the middle of a war? Louise Callaghan, a Middle East journalist, researched and wrote this true story of Abu Laith who is responsible for a lion, a bear, his huge family and how they live in Mosul during the time that ISIS comes in and takes over.
All Abu knows about animals has been learned by watching National Geographic.

I lost count how many children he has. He was a widower and he married a widow. Both had children and they have children together. Callaghan’s description ...more

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May 27, 2020 Alysa Morley rated it really liked it

I'm not surprised that I liked this, as someone who loves animals. Nonfiction stories about animals are undoubtedly my favorite way to work in more nonfiction, and this one has a nice balance of narrative to break up the series stuff and add depth and complexity to the characters and story.

This story just has a lot of heart. I love animals, wildlife, nature, and basically anything of that sort, so it was really appealing to me to read about other people who loved animals, advocated for them, an ...more

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Dec 23, 2019 Jenny rated it really liked it

Well, this was a treat of a non-fiction book. Honestly not at all what I was expecting. When I read that this story was set during the Isis occupation of Mosul, I thought it would be pretty dreary. But the author does a great job of focusing on characters (note: real people), rather than the occupation, although she does describe some pretty harrowing events, and I can't imagine living with that amount of stress for years. However the rich characters provide a wonderful focus, and the story is m ...more

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Dec 09, 2019 TheStonedMason rated it it was amazing

An excellent true story of a family and a team of strangers that fight to save the animals of a neglected zoo in Mosul. An informative and dramatic look at Mosul civilians that face danger all around them due to an on-going war just outside their front doors, and facing starvation, cruelty, and violence from the occupying soldiers of the Iraq Army then Daesh and Isis. With much sacrifice and unwavering dedication, Abu Laith (Imad Sabah) gave everything he had and more to care for the animals of ...more

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Jan 11, 2020 Paul C. Stalder rated it really liked it

Shelves: giveaways, non-fiction, hard-copy, 2000s, war

A poignant reminder of the human side of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, as well as the suffering humanity inflicts on the species we share this planet with. Although the title focuses on the zoo, the characters are at the heart of this tale; strong individuals who stand up to the powers that be. Resilience is found on each page. Well-told. Well-received.

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Apr 08, 2020 Edward Sullivan rated it really liked it

Shelves: war, iraq, animal-welfare, adult-nonfiction, middle-east

A remarkable true story centering on an inspiring, larger-than-life character determined to save the animals during the two and one half year ISIS occupation of Mosul.

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