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The Gardens of Light

By Amin Maalouf

(7)

| Paperback | 9780349108711

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Book Description

The Gardens of Light tells the life story of Mani, painter, doctor, and prophet born in Mesopotamia - modern day Iraq - in the early third century of the Christian era. He advocated "The Gospel of Light" - a religious system which was a mixture of Gnostic Christian beliefs, ancient Persian ZoroastriContinue

The Gardens of Light tells the life story of Mani, painter, doctor, and prophet born in Mesopotamia - modern day Iraq - in the early third century of the Christian era. He advocated "The Gospel of Light" - a religious system which was a mixture of Gnostic Christian beliefs, ancient Persian Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and some pagan elements. This came to be known as Manichaeism and attracted vast numbers of disciples. The mystic exercised a powerful attraction over his disciples - rulers and scholars, itinerant merchants, shippers, baptists and sages who inhabited the shores of the Tigris - and was hated by the Magi, the high priests of Zoroastrianism who felt threatened and eventually had him imprisoned, tortured and killed in 276 AD. Amin Maalouf brings life and color to the character and times of Mani. In the pages of The Gardens of Light, Mani's cry for tolerance can be heard echoing across the centuries of our times. Amin Maalouf won the Prix Goncourt in 1993 for his novel The Rock of Tanios. He is the author of five highly acclaimed novels including Samarkand which was also published by Interlink.

1 Review

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  • *** This comment contains spoilers! ***

    Start Your Own Religion

    Why not?

    This is a fictionalised biography of the third century prophet Mani, whose gnostic-based ideal of a liberal tolerance of other religions and cultures reminds me of modern multi-culturalism, as epsoused by, say, Isaiah Berlin. There is only one God, but he is manifest in all religio ... (continue)

    Why not?

    This is a fictionalised biography of the third century prophet Mani, whose gnostic-based ideal of a liberal tolerance of other religions and cultures reminds me of modern multi-culturalism, as epsoused by, say, Isaiah Berlin. There is only one God, but he is manifest in all religions and whatever name you might call him, it still God you are praying to... his light is in you, in battle with the darkness in you (a gnostic conceit). Mani has to outwit (though with guidance from his inner voice, his 'twin') those jealous and cunning priests and magi of the other religions, but while he has the preference of the King of Kings of the Sassanid Empire his classless religion blossoms amongst those who are hard done by... But of course, this is sedition, this is rebellion, however reasonably and mystically you put it. Mani is in for a hard time when the old Emperor passes away...

    Manicheism was one of the most popular religions in the 4th and 5th centuries through the Middle East (Mani was Persian), but one I knew practically nothing about till I started this inspiring book (and I am an atheist!). It sounds like one of the better religions!

    Why can't we all just get along?

    Is this helpful?

    Shallow Phil said on Jun 5, 2008 | Add your feedback

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