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  • The Beekeeper of Aleppo

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Christy Lefteri
  • Narrated by: Art Malik
  • Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (93 ratings)

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The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Written by: Christy Lefteri
Narrated by: Art Malik
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Publisher's Summary

This unforgettable novel puts human faces on the Syrian war with the immigrant story of a beekeeper, his wife, and the triumph of spirit when the world becomes unrecognizable.

"A beautifully crafted novel of international significance that has the capacity to have us open our eyes and see." (Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

  • Winner of the Aspen Words Literary Prize
  • Finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize
  • Named One of the Best Books of the Year by Real Simple

Nuri is a beekeeper, and Afra, his wife, is an artist. Mornings, Nuri rises early to hear the call to prayer before driving to his hives in the countryside. On weekends, Afra sells her colorful landscape paintings at the open-air market. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the hills of the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo - until the unthinkable happens. When all they love is destroyed by war, Nuri knows they have no choice except to leave their home. But escaping Syria will be no easy task: Afra has lost her sight, leaving Nuri to navigate her grief as well as a perilous journey through Turkey and Greece toward an uncertain future in Britain.

Nuri is sustained only by the knowledge that waiting for them is his cousin, Mustafa, who has started an apiary in Yorkshire and is teaching fellow refugees beekeeping. 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 even the bravest souls. Above all, they must make the difficult journey back to each other, a path once so familiar yet rendered foreign by the heartache of displacement.

Moving, intimate, and beautifully written, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a book for our times: a novel that at once reminds us that the most peaceful and ordinary lives can be utterly upended in unimaginable ways and brings a journey in faraway lands close to home, never to be forgotten.

Praise for The Beekeeper of Aleppo

"This book dips below the deafening headlines, and tells a true story with subtlety and power." (Esther Freud, author of Mr. Mac and Me)

"This compelling tale had me gripped with its compassion, its sensual style, and its onward and lively urge for resolution." (Daljit Nagra, author of British Museum)

"This novel speaks to so much that is happening in the world today. It’s intelligent, thoughtful, and relevant, but very importantly it is accessible. I’m recommending this book to everyone I care about." (Benjamin Zephaniah, author of Refugee Boy)

©2019 Christy Lefteri (P)2019 Random House Audio

What the critics say

"[Christy] Lefteri sensitively charts what it’s like when war comes home, alert to the subtle effects of trauma and grief. Nuri and Afra are not broadly sketched as victims, but rather suffer in different and complex ways from PTSD.... By creating characters with such rich, complex inner lives, Lefteri shows that in order to stretch compassion to millions of people, it helps to begin with one." (Time)

"Beekeeper Nuri and his wife, Afra, are devastated by the Syrian civil war. After violence claims their child and Afra’s eyesight, the couple is forced to flee Aleppo and make the fraught journey to Britain - and an uncertain future." (USA Today Five Books Not to Miss)

"In recounting the daily brutality as well as the glimmers of beauty, this novel humanizes the terrifying refugee stories we read about in the news. Lefteri explores questions of trust and portrays what trauma and loss can do to individuals and their relationships.... A beautiful rumination on seeing what is right in front of us - both the negative and the positive." (The Boston Globe Pick of the Week)

What listeners say about The Beekeeper of Aleppo

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Beekeeper of Aleppo

This was a heartbreaking story beautifully written and performed. I have followed Art Malik’s career since Jewel in the Crown. He brought this story to life.

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Beautifully told

I think Art Malik is a brilliant actor and his performance of this touching story was both tender and genius. This story grabbed your heart and made you think about the journey these refugees must undertake, Even with some of the darker threads in this story, you laughed and cried with these characters. They grabbed your heart and soul. And I found myself rooting for them. I definitely recommend this wonderful book to everyone.

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Powerful and moving

Deeply moving and profoundly insightful exploration of being human and facing trauma with courage and love. Superbly well-written and narrated.

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Poignant

Heartbreaking yet so valuable. Woven together with unique stitches; some that are seen and others that are not. The tapestry shares a very necessary story that is beautiful, even with all the dark hues.

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Very Interesting story and perfectly narrated.

The fact that this story and worse occurred many times over, is horrific, but needs to be known.
This work of fiction was a very good representation of how difficult a journey it must be.

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So informative.

Easy to keep reading but subject matter difficult. Having worked in refugee camps a long time ago, it is well portrayed. A remarkable book.

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narrator is perfect, but story a little flat

This is a very good, sad little book. The narrator is perfect -really couldn't be better. The story beings up many interesting mental and social issues that confront our protagonist and his blind wife. Their journey is tragic made more so by the loss of the son. But easily the scene that will stay with me a long, long time is the hives burning and the bees dead. People can be such jerks to each other.

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Read it !

Such a moving book, I cried... often dehumanize refugees and this make you feel their journey. Everyone should read this book once in their life.

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fantastic

a very beautiful and moving book, excellent narration, one of the best books i've listened to this year

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Loved this book!!

Couldn’t put it down. Connected with the characters. Excellent writing! Read this with my book club and we all loved it.

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