Author: Latif Al-Bayati

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Published: 2016-06-15

Total Pages: 385

ISBN-13: 1524634646

This book covers a collection of twenty seven short stories. They were inspired by real characters and true experiences of the writer and several of his friends and acquaintances. Some stories have included imaginary details and do not necessarily refer to certain real characters even if parallels can be drawn. Other certain incidents including those related to history reflect facts and real happenings such as those concerning conflict and war in the region. Some incidents are related to the period of the Iraq-Iran war; others are related to the times of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the US and Allied forces. On the other hand, there are also stories with different touches such as those of The Lover, Scenes from Baghdad, Louises Family and Gamblers. They reflect various environments and characteristics of persons pursuing their dreams and practices through their daily lives during peaceful times in cities like Baghdad and London. Human Dreams is the title of one of the stories. However, many of the stories and characters behaviours in the book, and in real life, are generally influenced by the dreams and ideas of real men and women ending up pursuing such dreams trying to achieve certain goals in their lives with chances of success or failure. A view can be reflected through the following quotation from the story of Human Dreams: The big question remains: Is the end fast and tragic for most good people or dreamers? Do evil persons come out victorious and achieve what they wish in most cases? Or is there something else, and that Justice of Heaven takes its course even after some time, and that Good prevails over Evil in the end? Maybe the whole matter doesnt need all such questions and that it was merely the life of a man and a woman who each lived his human dreams his or her own way.