Overwhelming and wonderful
Although one may not be attracted to a nonfiction book on the civil war in Syria, author Christy Lefteri provides a novel that draws the reader into the bombed city of Aleppo and the agonizing decisions families make about escaping the war-torn country and becoming refugees.
Lefteri grew up in London, the daughter of refugees from Cyprus. She learned about Syria and the life of refugees through volunteering in refugee camps in Greece for two summers.
She would ask her Arabic language teacher questions such as “What does the soil smell like?” and “What are the colors of the flowers?” This information is incorporated in her exquisite descriptions of the countryside surrounding the aviary outside Aleppo, which stands in contrast to the rubble of the city.
Nuri and his wife, Afra, are main characters in the book. Both are reluctant to leave Aleppo despite their son, Sami, being killed by a bomb blast. Nuri receives a personal death threat, and this is the prompt needed for them to join the many Syrian refugees who seek to get to Europe. For Nuri, the goal is to get to England where his cousin Mustafa has found a home and started an aviary.
Insurmountable obstacles
The story describes the almost insurmountable obstacles refugees face. Threats to personal safety, living with post-traumatic stress disorder and physical injuries from the war—in addition to the need for money to get smugglers to help them on their journey—make daily life a constant challenge.
Lefteri includes small bits of beauty in the book. Afra, an artist, was blinded by the bomb blast that killed their son but is able to draw pictures by feeling the pencil markings on the paper.
The gripping novel opens the reader’s eyes and heart to the plight of the multitude of refugees in our world today.
UMRA Book Club members were glad for the opportunity to read this book. When asked to describe the novel in one word, members said: hope, integrity, sad, real, compelling, confusing, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching.
One reader aptly characterized The Beekeeper of Aleppo as both overwhelming and wonderful.
— Mariah Snyder, UMRA Book Club member
Book Club to meet November 20
Fri, Nov 20 2020, 2pm
Mariah Snyder will lead the discussion of The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, November 20.
The UMRA Book Club currently has 16 members, a number that works well for our discussions. Contact Pat Tollefson at [email protected] for more information, including suggestions for starting a new book club.
Upcoming Events
If you currently live in your own home or apartment, have you looked ahead to when you might want to consider a senior living option? Do you have any idea what those options might be? How much they cost? What they provide? UMRA’s May 14 workshop will provide an overview of the world of senior living and the basic information you need.
You’re invited to join the final Family History Interest Group meeting for 2023–24. This will be an opportunity to ask questions related to family history, share insights, talk about recent projects, and suggest topics for next year.
Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement.
We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike.
Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m.
Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer.
Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)!
Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus.