How do we continue to live after the most precious thing is lost? Colum McCann’s tapestry of friendship, love, loss and belonging seeks the answer.

Rami’s license plate is yellow. Bassam’s license plate is green. It takes Rami 15 minutes to drive to the West Bank. It takes Bassam an hour and a half. Rami’s 13-year-old girl Smadar was killed by a suicide bomber while shopping with friends. Bassam’s 10-year-old daughter Abir was shot and killed by a member of the border police outside her school. There was a candy bracelet in her pocket she hadn’t had time to eat. Rami is Israeli. Bassam is Palestinian. The men become the best of friends.

Longlisted
The 2020 Booker Prize
Published by
Bloomsbury
Publication date
Colum McCann

Colum McCann

About the Author

Colum McCann is the author of six novels and three collections of stories. His novel TransAtlantic was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2013.
More about Colum McCann

Other nominated books by Colum McCann

Transatlantic