“An epic drama of the proportions of The Kite Runner… Grabs you from the first page… A gripping and compassionate work of fiction” —Huffington Post
The unforgettable story of a young Palestinian boy whose mathematical gifts allow him to escape the difficulties of life as an Arab Israeli, The Almond Tree is a beautifully crafted debut novel written by a Jewish American woman from the perspective of a Palestinian Muslim male. It is about the power of love, the price of hatred, and the possibility of redemption.
Even as a young boy Ahmed Hamid struggles with knowing that he can do nothing to save his friends and family. Coming of age under Israeli martial law, his entire village operates in fear of losing their homes, jobs, and belongings. But more importantly, they fear losing each other.
On Ahmed's twelfth birthday, that fear becomes reality.
With his father imprisoned, his family's home and possessions confiscated, and his beloved brother Abbas succumbing to hatred in the face of conflict, Ahmed must find a way to care for his family and find a better future for himself. Gifted with a mind that can solve mathematical equations, he uses his intellect to take an inspiring journey that will lead him from his war-torn homeland to a life in America he could never have imagined for himself.
A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of half a century of conflict, The Almond Tree is a powerful novel that allows us to walk in one extraordinary Palestinian’s shoes and see the world through his eyes.
“Corasanti’s accomplished debut novel offers a humanistic look into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...Sensitive, moving…” —Kirkus Reviews
My Thoughts: This was a very wonderful debut novel. It was a thought provoking book, which helped me further understand the hardships in the Middle East. With heart-wrenching details, author Michelle Cohen Corasanti wrote a very beautiful tale of a young boy living in Palestine that quickly captured my heart.
The story and characters in this book were well built. It was fascinating to read how the story followed the boy as he grew into an older man. The characters were easy to sympathize with and were realistic. This was simply a profound book.
The story and characters in this book were well built. It was fascinating to read how the story followed the boy as he grew into an older man. The characters were easy to sympathize with and were realistic. This was simply a profound book.
Praise for The Almond Tree
“The story is spell-binding with universal appeal…” The Daily Star ” …a strong addition to coming of age fiction collections, highly recommended.” The MidwestBook Review “…one of the most riveting books I have read… Corasanti takes a realistic premise and builds an interesting and highly believable story that only gets better as the pages fly by. While “The Almond Tree” is a fictional tale, much of it is based on the truth of what is today’s world, and as such there is also an important message located within. I highly recommend this book.” Charline Ratcliff / Rebecca’s Reads
Michelle Cohen Corasanti received a BA from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and an MA from Harvard University, both in Middle Eastern Studies. A Jewish American, she lived in Israel for seven years and was married to a Palestinian Muslim for several years afterwards. Nearly a decade in the making, The Almond Tree grew out of the many stories Michelle heard and witnessed while living with Palestinians and Israeli friends and family she knew and loved in Israel and at Harvard. She currently lives in New York with her family.
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