Father of lions : the remarkable true story of the mosul zoo rescue

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 account of rescued animals, Father of Lions will appeal to audiences of bestsellers like The Zookeeper's Wife and The B ookseller of Kabul as well as fans of true animal stories such as A Streetcat Named Bob , Marley and Me , and Finding Atticus . "An unexpectedly funny and moving book. ... 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. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. "After two and a half years of ISIS occupation, and months of fighting between the militants and government forces, the Mosul Zoo was one of the few outdoor attractions still standing in Iraq's second city, its inhabitants kept alive by Abu Laith, a square-set 50-something mechanic and passionate animal lover. As the animals began to starve under the siege by advancing Iraqi army forces, Abu Laith, the "Father of Lions" and his protégées and family risked their lives to keep the animals alive. When liberation finally came, the city and the zoo were both on their last legs. It seemed as if all was lost, until a local former-government scientist, Hakam, saw a message on Facebook about a zoo nearby: a charity in Switzerland wanted to rescue the animals"-- Provided by publisher