Joel Epstein

The Language of the Heart Joel Epstein

Ziryab, the Blackbird of Baghdad, born in a hovel to Ethiopian slaves, grows up to be the greatest musician of the Golden Age of Arabia. On his way to greatness, he uses the magic of music to battle an evil wizard who hates music, vanquish demons, outsmart pirates, and find love. This book is based on the true story of Ziryab, born Ali Ibn Nafi in Baghdad in the year 789 AD. Few facts are known about his life, but much is known about the Golden Age in which he lived: the age of Aladdin and Scheherazade and Sindbad the sailor, a world of Djinnis and magic. The magic of Ziryab is the magic of music - a magic more powerful than the wizards and demons he battles. For this story, as much as it is about Ziryab, is a story about music - the power of music to move the human heart, the magic of music to delve the world of spirits, the call of music to reach across barriers of nationality, religion and language to unify people. Indeed, Music is the Language of the Heart.