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

"A Dweller in Mesopotamia" by Donald Maxwell is a travel memoir where the author recounts his time as an official artist in Mesopotamia. The story paints a picture of the region’s landscape, culture, and history through Maxwell’s experiences. His writing has a mood of fondness and curiosity, mixing ancient stories with current life in Mesopotamia. The book starts with Maxwell's thoughts on the appeal and strong heat of Abadan, an oil port in Persia. He shows the big change between memories of luxury and beauty with his personal discomforts during his travels. He tells of an evening drifting on the river that ends with a British Navy officer rescuing him. The descriptions connect the aura of the region’s past to the tales of "Sinbad the Sailor," along with solid pictures of the industrial world, showing both the romantic and somewhat harsh parts of Mesopotamian life.