Baghdad: The Final Gathering

by Ahmad Ardalan

"Wars, an embargo, and forbidden love in this once peaceful city..."

With the drums of war just weeks away, Omar invites all those closest to his heart for lunch at his lavish villa overlooking the Tigris River of Baghdad. He can't help but smile at the faces that have graced his eventful life that spans from an interesting childhood, the two Gulf Wars, and the inhumane embargo that crippled the nation. Loved ones come together, probably for the last time, in the city their ancestors called Baghdad or Baghdadu, "God’s Gift."
Memories upon memories linger in Omar's head. He has survived times of struggle, holding on to hope and love along the way. As he reflects on his journey, as a man destined to live a hard life in tumultuous times, he ponders a clouded future, on the brink of unknown change.

Genres: Middle East, Family, Fiction, Relationships

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2016

About the author

Ahmad Ardalan is an Iraqi author, and an ongoing cancer fighter. He was born in Baghdad in 1979. At the age of two, he moved with his parents to Vienna, Austria, where he spent most of his childhood and underwent his primary studies. After his father's diplomatic mission finished at the end of 1989, he returned to Iraq, where he continued his studies and graduated from the University of Dentistry. As a result of the unstable political, military, social, and economic conditions in his home country, Ahmad decided to leave Iraq and move to the UAE. After facing difficulties to pursue his career in dentistry, he opted to pursue employment in the business world. Since then, Ardalan has held several senior roles within the pharmaceutical and FMCG industries, throughout much of the Middle East. His early childhood in a mixed cultural environment, as well as his world travels, increased his passion for learning about cultures of the world and inspired him to pen The Clout of Gen, his first novel. After eleven years of being away, Ahmad returned to Baghdad in January 2013 on a visit that was full of mixed emotions. Inspired by his trip to Iraq, he wrote his second novel, The Gardener of Baghdad. He did not stop there, as "Matt" his latest Short Story Thriller Series became available 2015. The Gardener of Baghdad, opened readers’ eyes to a different picture of the city they had heard of. With hope and love as his message, Ardalan released Baghdad: The Final Gathering, and followed it by The Boy of the Mosque. A recent trip to Paris, strolling around the beautiful galleries of Le Marais inspired him to write his latest novel The Art Collector of Le Marais

Reviews

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the winds of war and claims of hidden weapons of mass destruction are threatening this beautiful city of Baghdad, Omar has invited those closest to him for an elegant lunch in his lavish villa overlooking the Tigris River of Baghdad. These are the people who have been an important part of his life including an interesting childhood, the two Gulf Wars and the embargo that has crippled his nation. Loved ones come together for what may be their last time together in the beautiful and historically significant city their ancestors called Baghdad or Baghdadu, “God’s Gift.” In March 2003, President George W. Bush gave Saddam Hussein forty-eight hours to leave Iraq or face the consequences of The Coalition led by the United States of America.

“People familiar with Saddam knew he would never accept those terms. Like him or not, Saddam loved his country, in his own way, and there was no way he would leave it, even if it cost him his life. So strong was his love for the country that it selfishly cost the lives of many in Iraq.”

Omar relates that April 3rd was the darkest night he’d ever seen, as all of Baghdad was black with the electricity out. Amid the continuous sirens and explosions, Baghdad was burning and the main battle for the airport had begun. Day after day there were fewer Iraqi troops in the streets until April 9, 2003 when Baghdad fell. There were images of people toppling Saddam’s statue. What transpires in this book is how the Resistance continued as it was determined that there were no weapons of mass destruction and the embargo that had tortured the Iraqi people for many years was finally lifted. Baghdad: The Final Gathering by Ahmad Ardalan was a riveting book about the love of family and friends in the midst of war and dislocation, much of it heartbreaking.

“There is something about Baghdad that always pulls me back in” . . . . “Why? I don’t know. Spiritually, I never left.”

[John Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can say in all honesty this book was a phenomenal surprise. With a very short window in my busy schedule, I arbitrarily clicked on it just to take a short break from my heavy schedule of political activism. It turned out to be a two-day non-stop reading. I couldn't put this novel down! Very well written, unpretentious, believable, engaging, I found it a fascinating look at another land, another culture, another religion, another part of the world. Of course, we are all familiar with Iraq and the devastation our illegal, immoral wars and years of embargo has subjected that country to. But we read headlines. This author and his cast of characters lived it. This story confirmed my worst suspicions and my most optimistic assumptions. The Iraqi people, irrespective of their leader and government, did not deserve the cruelty we imposed on them. But the Iraqi people, irrespective of many cultural differences, are very much like us. If the U.S. and its xenophobic citizens would just take notice, they would find much to learn and enjoy tremendous fellowship with the populations we so easily dehumanize and assume are in some fashion our enemies.

My impulsive choice of this particular book presents me with both a logistical error and an opportunity. This is the second in a series. It stands alone but I probably should have started with the first. The good news is I have another excellent novel by this author, presumably about the same characters and relationships, now to dig into. I'm making time and greatly looking forward to reading more.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our gatherings won’t happen as often and as easily as before
رواية تخليك تعيش كل تفاصيلها تعيش الفرح و الحزن و كل لحظة، اغلب العوائل العراقية عاشت نفس الأحداث و كل كلمة بيها تعيد ذكرى عشناها.
اما اُسلوب الكتابة شي ثاني .. ابدع الكاتب ب سرد الأحداث بلغة سهلة و سلسة ، و مقارنة الحياة قبل الحرب و بعد الحرب و تغير المجتمع و الناس.
من الروايات الي تمنيت تبقى مستمرة بالاحداث.

[Lotta Reiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great insight into life during wars. A forbidden love story within a culture that is unforgiving.
I learned a lot more after reading this, after I enjoyed Ahmad ArdalanAhmad other novel The Gardener of Baghdad which is one of my favorites.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omar, his family and friends are all financially well endowed and well educated, but that does not insulate them from the realities of repeated wars in their homeland. Omar narrates the tale of life and love in interesting times, as the Chinese saying goes.
It is good for non-Iraqis to see a different perspective on the wars that changed the country without improving anything for its residents. We focus on those we lost in one way or another, and are unable to see what happened to the Iraqis. Seeing both sides makes for positive learning. No one wins when there is war.
Having read several fiction and nonfiction books centered in the mid east, I was surprised to learn that university education was expected of women as well as men, there was also no mention of arranged marriages or the specific dress codes that have been so publicized ad nauseum.
On a more pleasant note, there is wonderful imagery of Baghdad, as well as many cities in Europe, Turkey, and the UAE.
Don't miss this book. I loved it.
Many thanks to LibraryThing Giveaways for the opportunity to win this book in exchange for an honest review.

[S. Jeyran Main · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story about Omar and his family. As we all know, there are no winning sides when it comes to war. This book narrates the hardship an Iraqi family has to endure due to the consistent off and on wars conducted in his country.

The book displays a beautiful description of the city and clarifies the misperception westerners have regarding what social norm is in Iraq.

It was fascinating to read how sanctions affected the people and the quality of life, they were so desperate to keep. The reality of every invasion is that many are abused. The author did not shy away from that either, and by doing so, he created an everlasting emotional bond for the reader, making us feel strongly about the Iraqi people and what they really go through.

The work was written strongly and I enjoyed the message that came from reading the book. We can always rise above the circumstances the world puts us in. For that, I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys reading about wars and wishes to know how both sides suffer.

[Michele Zito · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful book. I was not aware that this author had written The Gardener of Baghdad which I read and really enjoyed a year or so ago. The description of the city in both books is so captivating , but the destruction that war brought to it in the second book is heartbreaking. Having never been exposed to war or violence ,embargos and the loss of freedom that the Iraqi people went through then and still now, leaves me with the saddest feelings for them and all other nations that went and are still going through desperate times. An excellent eye opening book even though it is fiction .
Well done Ahmad Ardalan.
Michele Zito

[Lindasp · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story of life in Baghdad, Iraq. It’s not a true story but reads like a memoir of a person who grew up in Baghdad during the wars and the embargo put on the country by the Western coalition in 1991. Omar, the main character describes family life, his friends, etc. during the times of unstable political, social and economic conditions.

[Pamela Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story.

This is a wonderful story. The author is a beautiful storyteller.
I couldn’t get enough and was so sorry for the book to end.

[Ayesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

ممتعة

[Derek Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed. Despite the importance of the topic, the childlike writing style grated on me all the way through.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was unsure of this book. It started with descriptions of various friends and family of the main character and I wondered where the story was going. However, I'm glad I continued as when I finished I felt a sense of satisfaction or possibly quiet pleasure. I mostly enjoyed the descriptions of Iraq when under sanctions as I had not thought of how that affected the lives of ordinary people. I was also horrified to read of the abuses on the Iraqis by the invading forces; that was something I did not know of. It is sad to think of how Iraq has changed from when the characters in the book were young to what it is now.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the story

The typos need to be fixed. I enjoyed seeing Iraq from inside. What a shame that a country and it's people torn a part. Just shows that it could happen anywhere. Yet where there is love there is hope.