Granada: A Pomegranate in the Hand of God

Writing in poetic prose, Nightingale (The Lost Coast) presents a historical, mystical, and personal travelogue of Granada, Spain. More broadly, Nightingale introduces readers to the amalgamated Andalusian culture of Islamic, Jewish, and Christian roots. Contemplating the intellectual corpus of al-Andalus—an 800-year kingdom ruled by Muslim emirs and Christian kings, advised by Jewish courtiers—Nightingale sketches out the far-reaching influence of Andalusian civilization. He invites readers into his labyrinthine neighborhood in Granada, the Albayzín, and into the lush love and tender repose of his own garden and family. Weaving the two together, al-Andalus and the Albayzín, Nightingale unleashes centuries of the “uncommon energies, exploratory zeal, and systematic rigor” of Granada, presenting its poetry, philosophy, music, art, mysticism, mathematics, literature, governance, and religious pluralism as “a schoolroom where we [today] might learn.” Nightingale’s intimate reflections and succulent style present a textured picture of the city and its people, culture, and antiquity. Armchair travelers will find themselves easily lured through the portals of history hidden in brick and mortar, tiles and tilled gardens. Photos. [em](Feb.) [/em]