Bassam Aramin is Palestinian. Rami Elhanan is Israeli. They live in a world of conflict that colors every aspect of their lives, from the roads they are allowed to drive on to the schools their children attend to the checkpoints, both physical and emotional, they must negotiate.
But their lives, however limited, change one after another: first, Rami's thirteen-year-old daughter, Smadar, falls victim to a suicide bomber; a decade later, Bassam's ten-year-old daughter, Abir, is killed by a rubber bullet. Rami and Bassam were raised to hate each other. Yet when they learn each other's stories, they recognize the loss that binds them. Together, they try to use their grief as a weapon for peace - and with one small act, they begin to penetrate what has seemed an impenetrable conflict for generations.
With the blessing of Bassam and Rami, and unprecedented access to their families, lives, and personal memories, McCann began creating Apeirogon , which uses stories from their real lives to begin another – one that travels across centuries and continents, connecting time, art, history, nature, and politics – simultaneously moving and hopeful.
"A grand, ambitious triumph ... McCann's latest novel may be his best yet."
Kirkus Reviews
"Enthralling... hypnotic... moving and enchanting... Beyond the kaleidoscopic brilliance of the narrative, this is also a truly human story."
San Francisco Chronicle
Translated from English by Belma Kartal