The Beekeeper of Aleppo - (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"A fascinating study of grief, migration and dislocation...a profoundly moving triumph."
--Theatre & Tonic

Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo--until the unthinkable happens.

When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to flee. On their terrifying journey, they must face the pain of their immeasurable loss alongside incredible danger. Above all, they must keep going in order to find each other again.

Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler's adaptation of Christy Lefteri's compassionate and beautiful bestselling novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo premiered at Nottingham Playhouse in 2023, directed by Miranda Cromwell. It was revived in 2026 for a tour of the UK and Ireland.

Review Quotes

"Beautifully and unapologetically human, this moving and powerful play will stay on your mind long after you leave the theatre."

--All That Dazzles

"Alrefaai and Spangler's adaptation is sparklingly assured...a cogent portrait of psychological dislocation."

--Telegraph

About the Author

Brought up in London, Christy Lefteri is the child of Cypriot refugees. She holds a PhD in creative writing from Brunel University, where she was a lecturer for many years. She is the author of Songbirds and the international bestseller The Beekeeper of Aleppo, which won the Aspen Words Literary Prize and was the runner-up for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Her first novel, A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible, was longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

Nesrin Alrefaai is an academic and playwright. Her plays include an adaptation (with Matthew Spangler) of Christy Lefteri's novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo (Nottingham Playhouse, 2023, and tour; revived in 2026). She is a Research Fellow at the School of Arts, Queen Mary University of London, and teaches at the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics (LSE). She holds a Doctorate degree in Drama and Theatre Education from the University of Warwick. She has translated multiple plays to and from Arabic. Nesrin has previously worked as a Community Support Officer for Refugees, an experience that continues to inform her writing and engagement with communities.

Matthew Spangler is a playwright and professor of performance studies at San José State University, California. His plays include adaptations of Khaled Hosseini's novel The Kite Runner (Nottingham Playhouse, 2012; Broadway, 2022) and of Christy Lefteri's novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo, adapted with Nesrin Alrefaai (Nottingham Playhouse, 2023, and tour; revived in 2026).