
Beat
The True Story of a Suicide Bomb and a Heart
Rowan Somerville(Author)
The Lilliput Press Ltd
Published on 1. June 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
296 pages
978-1-84351-705-4 (ISBN)
Description
In the midst of the Second Intifada, two acts of extreme violence lead to an act of extraordinary humanity. A suicide bomb was detonated outside a nightclub in Tel Aviv, killing twenty-two people, mostly young Israelis. The next day, in an apparently retributive act of violence, an Israeli settler shot Palestinian pharmacist, Mazan Al-Joulani in the neck, rendering him brain-dead. From the ashes of these deadly events rose an incredible act of generosity when the family of Al-Joulani agreed to donate his heart to a dying Israeli. The son of pioneering cardiologists, Rowan Somerville travelled to the Levant to speak with survivors and their families, interviewing the surgeon who performed the transplant, and meeting the family of the suicide bomber Saeed Hotari. In this close look at humanity at work, Somerville's writing is at once personal and objective, an outsider's unbiased view of events steeped in, but overcoming, prejudice. The close observations and fastpaced narrative style have the immediacy of a contemporary thriller.
Reviews / Votes
'Rowan Somerville has written an amazing book. Beat is a riveting, intelligent and scrupulously honest journey through the torment of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It runs the gamut of human behaviour, from blood-curdling barbarity to extraordinary generosity; a tour de force.' - Lara Marlowe, The Irish Times 'It's [Somerville's] "baggage" that makes him such an insightful guide ... he can share their story in a way that headlines never could.' - GQ Magazine 'One of the most-important releases of 2017, in any genre.' - Hilary A. White, Sunday Independent 'One of the best books on the Middle East I've ever read.' - Deasuin MacBraoin, The Examiner Rowan Somerville has written an amazing book. Beat is a riveting, intelligent and scrupulously honest journey through the torment of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It runs the gamut of human behaviour, from blood-curdling barbarity to extraordinary generosity; a tour-de-force -- Laura Marlowe * Irish Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Dublin
Ireland
Edition type
Unabridged edition
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 213 mm
Width: 135 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
386 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84351-705-4 (9781843517054)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
06/2017
The Lilliput Press Ltd
€4.99
Available for download
Person
Rowan Somerville was born in London in 1966 and studied Literature at the University of Edinburgh. He has worked in film, television and radio. He is the author of two novels, The End of Sleep, shortlisted for the 2009 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, and The Shape of Her (2010).