An interview with the Author has just been published on-line. Check it out. Have a link as a Saturday present:
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check this review article out : http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/columns/rasheeda-bhagat/gutwrenching-palestine-saga/article4143683.ece
Hi Everybody. I’ve not blogged for nigh on a year now but I’ve jut finished reading an absolutely brilliant book, and decided that I simply had to get back on the blogosphere to share it with the world. I binned all the other rubbish I’d written in the past, and will make this my new start.
The book is called The Almond Tree, and it was written by Michelle Cohen Corasanti. The fact that its a beautifully written, and excellent story is certainly a bonus, but I feel the message is more important.
I’ve contacted the author, and she gave me permission to use her press release. I glad she did because I don’t think I’d be able to introduce it to you very well myself.
The Almond Tree
by Michelle Cohen Corasanti
NEW NOVEL DEMYSTIFIES ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT AMID FEAR AND HATE AND INSPIRES PEACE IN ALL NATIONS
“If ever peace is to become a reality between Israel and Palestine, it will be because of the influence of books such as this.” – Les Edgerton, author of Hooked and others.
Against a background torn from the pages of today’s headlines, The Almond Tree, by Michelle Cohen Corasanti, tells the inspirational story of a Palestinian boy whose devastating decisions impact on his family and others for years to come. The insightful and inspirational story of Palestinians living in Israel and Gaza, as told by a Jewish American author. The Almond Tree follows a Palestinian boy’s journey of survival and discovery exploring themes of redemption, family sacrifice and the benefits of education and tolerance.
The Almond Tree is a provocative, tender and poignant novel that recasts a culture frequently seen in the news but often misrepresented and more misunderstood. The book’s universal message of resilience, hope and forgiveness will hit home with anyone who has faced adversity.
Cohen Corasanti’s novel brings humanity and clarity to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Her personal experience of living in Israel for seven years while attending high school and obtaining her undergraduate degree in Middle Eastern studies from the Hebrew University gave her the perspective, insight and ability to craft this story.
“Throughout my novel, I fictionalized real people and occurrences. In the news, they were a statistics. In The Almond Tree, these people have a voice,” says Cohen Corasanti. “I also want to teach the next generation about tolerance and the importance of celebrating our differences. I want my children to know that they can learn, educate, stand up for their beliefs and make a difference in their community and their world.”
The Almond Tree also includes the following themes:
Humanizing the Arab-Israeli conflict, a world away
The power to successfully integrate different faiths to advance humanity
How education begets peace and how ignorance begets war
That peace brings security, security doesn’t bring peace
Surviving great loss, moving forward, redemption
How the United States’ influence can dictate international change
The character one must possess to take a monumental leap of faith
The importance of thinking outside the box
Forgiveness and human resilience after disaster or tragedy
How all people have value, even our enemies
Conflict resolution must include putting yourself in their shoes
When two brothers take two different paths one can lead to peace the other to despair
Cohen Corasanti’s characters convey the spirit of a resilient culture through their actions, their relationships and, most convincingly, through the hero, Ichmad’s voice. From his overbearing mother to the death of a sibling, from the pressures of an interfaith relationship to the fallout of discrimination, Ichmad confronts each challenge with strength and determination, whether it is political, religious or otherwise. The story is unique in its delivery, approach and resolution. It inspires options for Jews seeking conflict resolution with Palestinians as well as anyone who endured extraordinary hardships and has come out on the other side. The Almond Tree also provides a voyeuristic look into a life we would never wish on our own children.
“The Almond Tree is a novel that matters, that reminds us of what makes us all different and, more importantly, what makes us all the same.” —Mark Spencer, author of The Masked Demon, A Haunted Love Story, and The Weary Motel
A couple of Sound bites from Michelle:
“May the battles we fight be for the advancement of the human race“
“ With my novel, I tried to shine a light on the situation so bright that the whole world would see.”
Here’s a link to here website – http://thealmondtreebook.com/
So there’s your introduction, I’ll be back tomorrow with some more to say on the subject.
UK Amazon Link:
US Amazon Link:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=michelle%20corasanti
The Almond Tree 