The Gardener of Baghdad Quotes

“I believe in Love, and I know love conquers all.”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad

“Do not wait for the tide to take you, my boy. Instead, you take on the tide”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad

“Two people, one city, different times; connected by a memoir. Can love exist in a city destined for decades of misery?”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad

“I know a feeling like that only comes once in a lifetime, and I think you should follow your heart’s desires. I believe in love, and I know love conquers all.”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad

“it’s not about what direction you should take. It’s about choosing one direction and working to move forward on that path, no matter what.”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad

“Like every other man who had made the pilgrimage to Mecca, the old man carried “Haji” before his first name, very common in Iraq. The rest of his name indicated that he was the father of his eldest child: Abu Ahmad literally translated to “Ahmad’s father.”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad

“In Britain, I learned that class was not always exhibited by those perceived to be at its peak.”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad

“If you have any doubt about that, sir, perhaps you should consult the history books written by your own British historians, or maybe you can pay a visit to your British Museum, which finds Arab and Middle East history interesting and significant enough to boast its treasures to your people here.”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad

“Most of the people back home had forgotten our origins. They had forgotten the achievements we had made throughout history and how we’d suffered under different occupations for centuries. I was heartbroken that our people were plotting against one another, individuals and groups trying to gain power, fame, and fortune instead of uniting for one cause, to help our nation rise up again to its rightful place in the world.”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad

“When I got to the museum, I was stunned to discover what a great civilization Mesopotamia was, what a fascinating place I’d grown up in. There were sculptures from the Sumerian, Babylonian, and the Assyrian era, and some were amazingly intact. They were beautiful and absolutely mesmerizing, and I carefully examined every one and read all of the information about them. An hour earlier, I’d been enjoying the beauty of iconic structures in London, but the sculptures in that museum were thousands of years older and told me so much about my heritage and culture. The Lamassu, a winged bull with a human head, especially filled me with pride. It was such a magnificent structure, so delicately carved with great imagination and knowledge beyond our understanding.”
― Ahmad Ardalan, The Gardener of Baghdad