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
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.