“A must-read for those who are stumbling through the Israeli–Palestinian minefield for the first time and others who know its sorrows all too well” – Washington Report on the Middle East

“A rags-to-riches tale with love, suffering, death and justice thrown into the mix” – Selma Dabbagh, author of Out of It

Gifted with a brilliant mind that has made a deep impression on the elders of his Palestinian village, Ahmed Hamid is nevertheless tormented by his inability to save his friends and family. Living under occupation, the inhabitants of the village harbour a constant fear of losing their homes, jobs, belongings – and each other.

On Ahmed’s twelfth birthday, that fear becomes a reality.

With his father now imprisoned, his family’s home and possessions confiscated and his siblings quickly succumbing to hatred in the face of conflict, Ahmed embarks on a journey to liberate his loved ones from their hardship, using his prodigious intellect. In so doing, he begins to reclaim a love for others that had been lost over the course of a childhood rife with violence, and discovers new hope for the future.

Praise for The Almond Tree:

“Corasanti’s accomplished debut novel offers a humanistic look into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict…Sensitive, moving…complex…” – Kirkus Reviews

“I predict (The Almond Tree) will become one of the biggest bestsellers of the decade…an epic drama of the proportions of The Kite Runner… A story that grabs you from the first page…This novel is not a political lecture, but a gripping and compassionate work of fiction.” –  Huffington Post, Spanish TV and Radio Host Guillermo Fesser

“…profound and finely crafted debut novel…This intimate tale of love and loss and awareness shines a greater understanding of the personal toll of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” –  Marcy Dermansky author, Bad Marie

“… a strong addition to coming of age fiction collections, highly recommended. The Midwest Book Review.” – Helen Dumount MBR Bookwatch January 2013 issue