A Dweller in Mesopotamia Being the Adventures of an Official Artist in the Garden of Eden

In this evocative memoir, an official artist assigned to the Imperial War Museum recounts his journey across the lands once ruled by Sennacherib and the biblical Babylon. He blends vivid, colour‑rich sketches with personal reflections, turning dusty mahailas, moonlit Baghdad streets, and the towering ruins of Khadamain into a living gallery of memory. The narrative moves from bustling river barges to silent desert ruins, capturing both the harsh realities of the environment and the lingering romance that lingers in the mind of a traveller.

The accompanying plates—ranging from the golden towers of Khadamain to the humble reed villages of the Marsh Arabs—are described in such a way that listeners can picture the textures, the light, and the sounds of each scene. While the author left the technical details of his wartime duties aside, his observations provide a rare window into a world where ancient myth meets early twentieth‑century modernity. The result is a richly textured portrait of Mesopotamia that feels both timeless and immediate, inviting listeners to wander its forgotten avenues.