The Beekeeper of Aleppo
The Sunday Times Bestseller and Richard & Judy Book Club Pick
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4.4 • 476 Ratings
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- £5.99
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
THE UNMISSABLE MILLION COPY BESTSELLER
A RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB CHOICE 2020
A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB CHOICE 2019
WINNER OF THE ASPEN WORDS LITERARY PRIZE
THE READING AGENCY'S PICK FOR NATIONAL READING GROUP DAY
OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE
'This is a novel of international significance. Courageous, provocative, haunting, it will open our eyes' Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz
In the midst of war, he found love
In the midst of darkness, he found courage
In the midst of tragedy, he found hope
What will you find from his story?
Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo - until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape.
As Nuri and Afra travel through a broken world, they must confront not only the pain of their own unspeakable loss, but dangers that would overwhelm the bravest of souls. Above all - and perhaps this is the hardest thing they face - they must journey to find each other again.
Moving, powerful, compassionate and beautifully written, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit. Told with deceptive simplicity, it is the kind of book that reminds us of the power of storytelling.
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'This book dips below the deafening headlines, and tells a true story with subtlety and power' Esther Freud
'A beautiful novel, intelligent, thoughtful; and relevant. I'm recommending this book to everyone I care about. So I'm recommending this book to you' Benjamin Zephaniah
'Powerful, thought-provoking and beautifully crafted' Choice Magazine
***DON'T MISS CHRISTY LEFTERI'S MOVING AND CAPTIVATING NEW NOVEL: THE BOOK OF FIRE, OUT NOW!***
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lefteri (A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible) tells a haunting and resonant story of Syrian war refugees undertaking a treacherous journey to possible safety. In 2015, Nuri Ibrahim and his wife, Afra, who was blinded in an incident during the Syrian civil war, cling to their home while everyone else flees the bombings and violence. They are emotionally devastated by the loss and destruction of their neighborhood but decide to seek asylum in the U.K. after soldiers attempt to forcefully recruit Nuri. They travel through harsh conditions in Turkey and Greece, waiting in camps for the proper paperwork and meeting more refugees along the way. Nuri is determined to find his cousin Mustafa in the U.K., where the two men can return to their beloved work as beekeepers. Afra reckons with the reality that she will not be able to continue her life as an artist because of her blindness, and the couple recall painful memories as they are drawn into the agonizing experiences of other refugees. Lefteri perceptively and powerfully documents the horrors of the Syrian civil war and the suffering of innocent civilians. Readers will find this deeply affecting for both its psychological intensity and emotional acuity.
Customer Reviews
A wonderfully written story of tragedy and hope
It took me a little while to properly get into this book, up when I did I didn’t want to put it down. The stories, characters and journeys are very clear and realistic. It gives an immersive insight into the journey of an asylum seeker that gives an understanding in a way you can’t get from the news or media and in a way that is not patronising or condescending. A really beautifully written story of loss, trauma, tragedy, struggle but also of hope and the strength of human resilience and kindness.
Amazing!!
Heartbreaking, amazing beautifully written.
Aleppo
A very good and interesting story.