Apeirogon, a novel written by Irish writer Colum McCann, was published in 2020. The book is centered on the true story of the friendship between Rami Elhanan, an Israeli, and Bassam Aramin, a Palestinian. The two men come together, across the animosity and violence of their respective home nations, over a shared desire to spread a message of education, understanding, and the end of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Both have dealt with extreme tragedy, namely the murder of their daughters. Rami’s daughter Smadar was killed by a Palestinian suicide bomber and Bassam’s daughter Abir was killed by a rubber bullet shot by an Israeli border patrol officer. The telling of this story, in a non-linear fashion that McCann has employed in other novels, remains the backbone of the book; however this core narrative is surrounded by historical events, anecdotes, references to literature, cinema, and other art forms. Through the central story, the unique structure (the book is told in 1,001 sections), and the sheer breadth McCann attempts to tackle themes of constant violence, the universal quality of grief, and the interconnection between all living things. The novel received positive reviews and was longlisted for the Booker prize in 2020. The edition referenced is the 2020 publication by Random House.

Plot Summary

The novel hinges on a minor event in 2016. Rami Elhanan, a graphic designer from Israel, meets up with Bassam Aramin, a Palestinian scholar. In a non-linear fashion, the book details the story of their individual lives and how they came together as friends. Bassam is a Palestinian Muslim who was imprisoned by Israeli officials for seven years. Rami is a Jewish man who was born in Israel and married into a well-heeled family that has some social capital in Israeli politics. The two men come together across the violence and animosity between their two nations to go around the world giving lectures and holding conferences spreading peace, understanding, and how to utilize grief in a positive way.

The important connection between the two men and the inspiration for their mission to spread peace is the death of their daughters. In 1997 Rami’s daughter Smadar was killed by a suicide bomber while walking down a busy street. Ten years later there are some protests on a nearby street. Bassam’s daughter Abir is walking to the store when she is hit by a rubber bullet in the back of the head. The shot was fired from Israeli officers. She is taken to a hospital. The doctors feel she can survive if she is transferred to a better hospital. Due to the roadblocks, traffic, and bureaucracy, her ambulance is delayed for over an hour. She arrives at the new hospital where she dies not long after.

Through these separate but shared griefs, these two men travel the world to give lectures on grief, togetherness, forgiveness, and calling for the end of the Occupation and the fighting between Israel and Palestine. McCann uses historical records and interviews to reconstruct the story of the two men, their lives, and the lives of their family. This story is emblematic of the violence and trauma that circulates throughout the history of the West Bank region. Evinced by Bassam and Rami, the war brings a cycle of violence that leaves many people having untold amounts of grief and trauma.

It is worth noting that an apeirogon is an infinitely sided object. It may seem an odd title for the book, but McCann includes many historical events, anecdotes, quotes, and myths with the central story of Bassam and Rami as well as numerous references to literature, cinema, and philosophy. This suggests the interconnection of everything and everyone. Something that seems to have two sides—the continual fighting between Israel and Palestine—is complex and infinitely-sided. Ultimately, Apeirogon is a timely novel about war, violence, grief, forgiveness, and the human connection between everyone despite our differences.