Allah's Garden: A True Story of a Forgotten War in the Sahara Desert

#392
Title: Allah's Garden: A True Story of a Forgotten War in the Sahara DesertAuthor: Thomas Hollowell
Publisher: Tales Press
Year: 2009
Country: Western Sahara
196 pages

It's not entirely clear why Hollowell left the Peace Corps after a short period of service. Perhaps it's because he kissed a local woman in public and was arrested; perhaps there's more. Either way, his exploration of Morocco brought him into contact with Azeddine Benmansour, a physician who was taken captive by Algerian-backed forces while serving his army time in the disputed Western Sahara. Benmansour, who was held as a POW for 24 years, related his story to Hollowell, who uses anecdotes of his own time in Morocco as a frame. Hollowell's narrative style is earnest, which is a refreshing contrast to some recent world-weary 20- and 30-something authors. Other than the ill-advised kiss, he appears to have been respectful of Moroccan mores and practices. I would have wished for more about Hollowell's experience, but recognize that he didn't want to detract from Benmansour's emotional impact.

For those unfamiliar with the conflict over Western Sahara, a good place to start, and a good point of comparison to more well-known human rights abuses in countries such as Sudan.

Thanks for the review!

from: anonymous
date: Dec. 29th, 2009 02:44 pm (UTC)

Hi  ...: Thomas Hollowell here, the author of Allah's Garden: A True Story of a Forgotten War in the Sahara Desert of Morocco. Thank you for your review of my book! It was a pleasure to happen upon it and your analysis hit the nail on the head; I would have liked to write more about my situation, but I needed to stay focused on Azeddine's plight. In any regard, thanks for reading and writing about it!

Very Best,
Thomas
tom@thomashollowell.com
http://www.allahs-garden.com