Breathe To Read

Breathe To Read

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Read The World - Kurdistan - My Father's Paradise

 Book: My Father's Paradise

Author: Ariel Sabar

Pages: 369

Book takes place in the country: YES (just about 50%)

Author is from the country: NO - but his father was

I have visited: NO


This is my 87th read for the year




This is the story of the author's family.  Born and raised in the United States, Ariel Sabar sets out to discover his family's past in Kurdistan.  For 3000 years, Jews lived in Kurdistan, spoke Aramaic, and lived peacefully among the Christians and Jews who surrounded them.  However, in the earlier part of this century, all of that changed and the Jews in Kurdistan fled to Israle where Ariel's father spent a portion of his life.  His father finally moved to the United States and became a well known professor in Los Angeles.  Ariel never really connected with his father growing up - never understood his old world traditions he held on to.  Until Ariel had a child of his own.  Ariel journeys with his father to his old village in Kurdistan- Zakho - to discover who his father and family really are.

This is a very good book.  It is no doubt that I am a lover of non-fiction, but my favorite is storytelling from usually the author or about a particular person/family.  The books for me that should the loudest are the personal stories - not just a straight history.  Ariel weaves a story of his father's family and how they lived, their traditions, their flee, and finally the return to visit the land they once called home.  You get great insight into the Jewish story in this land.  It shouldn't be missed.


Stars: 4 1/2



No comments:

Post a Comment