The Librarian of Basra

A True Story from Iraq

Ranked #81 in Windows

"In the Koran, the first thing God said to Muhammad was 'Read.'"*
--Alia Muhammad Baker

Alia Muhammad Baker is a librarian in Basra, Iraq. For fourteen years, her library has been a meeting place for those who love books. Until now. Now war has come, and Alia fears that the library--along with the thirty thousand books within it--will be destroyed forever.

In a war-stricken country where civilians--especially women--have little power, this true story about a librarian's struggle to save her community's priceless collection of books reminds us all how, throughout...
more

Similar Books

If you like The Librarian of Basra, check out these similar top-rated books:


Learn: What makes Shortform summaries the best in the world?