Father of Lions - How One Man Defied Isis and Saved Mosul Zoo

'Callaghan's portrayal of a city under siege is many-layered and brilliantly told' Sunday Times

About the author

Louise Callaghan is the Middle East correspondent for the Sunday Times. She was named New Journalist of the Year in 2017, and won the Marie Colvin Award at the British Journalism Awards in 2018. The citation read, in part: 'Louise Callaghan's work fights to get to the truth of what is happening on the ground in rebel-held Syria... She bore witness to crimes governments and armed groups would rather were hidden away.' Forbes Magazine named her as one of their '30 under 30' key people in the media.

Summary

This is a story of human decency in the midst of barbarism - how the zookeeper of Mosul Zoo saved the animals during the Isis rule of the city between 2014 and 2017.

Foreword

A moving and unsentimental story of love and devotion to other people and to helpless animals.

Additional text

Callaghan knows her way around a war. Her portrayal of a city under siege is many-layered and brilliantly told. The gallows humour and defiance of Mosulis in the most desperate circumstances will appeal to British readers

Report

'An unexpectedly funny and moving book. You might not expect to laugh when reading about ISIS-held Mosul, but through the story of a man who loves both lions and life, Louise Callaghan shows how humour and defiance can counter cruelty, and why both humans and animals crave freedom' Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor, Channel 4 News and author of In Extremis: the life of war correspondent Marie Colvin

Product details

• Authors: Louise Callaghan
• Publisher: Head of Zeus
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback
• Released: 31.07.2020
• EAN: 9781789540772
• ISBN: 978-1-78954-077-2
• No. of pages: 432
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature > Letters, diaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Biographies, autobiographies; POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Middle Eastern, HISTORY / Middle East / Iraq, Terrorism, armed struggle, Animals & society, Iraq, True stories of heroism, endurance & survival, True stories of heroism, endurance and survival, Animals and society, Non Fiction, Biography: philosophy and social sciences