A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy

Why does the first section of the book focus so much on the romance between Abed and Ghazl? How does their unfulfilled romance inform the larger themes of the work?

How did the First Intifada change life in the occupied territories? In what significant ways did it impact the lives of major characters?

How did the peace process, represented mainly by the Oslo Accords, arguably make things worse for Palestinians, at least in Nathan Thrall’s telling?

How does the security barrier (or “the wall”) play a role in the narrative? How does it play a role in the bus crash at the center of the book?

Why did Thrall withhold the fate of Milad Salama until the end? What purpose did it serve to keep his death a mystery until the last few pages?

Among the many characters that Thrall surveys, are there any that strike you as less sympathetic or somehow more responsible for the tragedy that took place?

What role does Ibrahim Salada ultimately play in the narrative? Why does Part IV make him such a significant figure?

For the “three funerals” of the final section, what commonalities and differences do the three children have with each other? Why do you think Thrall focused on those examples in particular?