Apeirogon

An apeirogon is a mathematical term for a shape with an infinite number of sides. In writing the novel Apeirogon, Colum McCann explains the infinite number of sides taken in the Israeli Palestine conflict. The book is inspired by the real life friendship between two men, Bassan Aremin and Rami Elhanan. Both men lost a daughter. Rami's ten year old daughter was shot by a trigger happy Israeli Army guy. Bassan's thirteen year old daughter was blown up by a suicide bomber. Both men loved their daughter and are wracked with grief. Individually they join a Parent's Circle, a support group. They form a friendship and eventually travel around the world telling the truth about their lives and their daughters. This book is told in many, many chapters. I don't think I have ever read a book before with this many chapters. Some of the chapters are short consisting of only one sentence. The strange thing is that the book starts at chapter 1 and goes to chapter 501 and then starts counting backwards and ends at chapter 1 again. In total it has 1001 chapters much like the book 1001 Arabian Nights. Some of the chapters are about mathematical formulas. Some of the chapters are about migrating birds. The book is mostly about two bereaved fathers trying to replace anger with hope. I thought it was a fascinating tale.