Thrall, an American writer based in Jerusalem, captivated attendees with reflections on his Pulitzer-winning work, A Day in the Life of Abed Salama. The book, which examines the ripple effects of a tragic school bus accident in Palestine, has been hailed as a masterpiece of nonfiction.
Translated into more than two dozen languages, the international bestseller challenges readers to confront how political systems shape the most intimate moments of life. Named a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice and featured in 18 year-end best book lists, Thrall’s work is as impactful as it is unsettling.
“You take us on a journey of a deeply human story of Abed and his son, and in telling this human story, you narrate the history and the present of the Palestinian struggle, phenomenal writing, and in doing that you make it accessible to the reader who doesn’t know the context and history,” said Masri.
“I wanted to reach people emotionally. My experience watching people come to Palestine was that the emotional impact of seeing segregation, domination, and oppression was much more important, long-lasting, and deeper than all of the intellectual historical arguments. The other ambition that I had was that people who don’t know much about Palestine would come away learning a lot,” explained Thrall.
Thrall’s journey as a journalist and author has been anything but ordinary. Of Jewish heritage, his understanding of Israel and Palestine changed over time during his work with the International Crisis Group.
“It was a very slow process of learning and unlearning,” he said. His incisive essays, reporting, and criticism — published in the London Review of Books, The Guardian, The New York Times Magazine, and The New York Review of Books — consistently push the boundaries of conventional thought. His earlier book, The Only Language They Understand, further cemented his reputation for fearless truth-telling.
Reflecting on the impact of his latest work, Thrall said: “Writing this book grew out of a sense of despair...I did it to bring about the kind of change I feel is necessary.”
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