The Gardens Of Light

By (author) Maalouf Amin
Short description/annotation:
Mani is born into a time of war - 3rd-century Mesopotamia. Despite being the son of a warrior, he becomes a painter, physician, mystic and prophet, preaching in the battlefields, a doctrine of humility, tolerance and love that becomes known as "Manicheanism".
Description:

Born in a Mesopotamian village in the third century, the son of a Parthian warrior, Mani grows up in a volatile and dangerous world. As battle rages for control over the Middle East between the great Roman and Persian empires, as Jews and Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians fight for ascendency, Mani- painter, mystic, physician and prophet- makes his way through the battlefields to preach to his incandescent doctrine of humility, tolerance and love, a doctrine that comes to be known as Manicheanism.

A vivid glimpse of the ancient world in all its perfumed splendour and cruelty, an elegantly philosophical discourse on the fall of man, THE GARDENS OF LIGHT is a story of great beauty and resonance, exquisitely told.

Review quote:
A voice which Europe cannot afford to ignore.
Review quote:
Amin Maalouf weaves tapestries of intrigue that illuminate a broader historical moment... in his engaging prose [he goes] a considerable way towards restoring Mani to us...as eloquent as ever.
Review quote:
A romantic and affectionate tale... engaging.
Review quote:
A master storyteller... and his observation of human nature in all its facets is wonderfully accurate.
Biographical note:
Amin Maalouf is Lebanese and was formerly director of the weekly international edition of the Beirut daily ''an-Nahar'' and editor in chief of ''Jeune Afrique.'' His novel THE ROCK OF TANIOS won the Prix Goncourt prize. Dorothy S. Blair is a critic and translator of many French books.
Review quote: previous work:
A voice which Europe cannot afford to ignore. - GUARDIAN

Amin Maalouf weaves tapestries of intrigue that illuminate a broader historical moment... in his engaging prose [he goes] a considerable way towards restoring Mani to us...as eloquent as ever. - THE TIMES

A romantic and affectionate tale... engaging. - TLS

A master storyteller... and his observation of human nature in all its facets is wonderfully accurate. - SUNDAY TELEGRAPH