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2026 BOARD OF GOVERNORS & COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS OF F I CE R S Kristi I. Yanagihara, President Timothy J. Deegan, First Vice President Raj George, Second Vice President
BOOK REVIEW “ The Beekeeper of Aleppo ” By Christy Lefteri
Jennifer Murata, Treasurer Robin T. Stueber, Secretary Nathan Kam, House Chair GOVE RNOR S 2024-2026 Robin T. Stueber, Pom Luxton 2025-2027 Melissa L. Goo, Michael A. Bruggemann, John Melchor 2026 David Weinberg 2026-2028 Gregory Dunn, James Jennings, Amanda Corby HOUSE COMMITTEES H. Brian Moore, Art Committee Chair Matt Joswick, Athletic Committee Chair Rosaline Wang, Entertainment Committee Chair Raj George, Library Committee Chair Teresa D. Fabry & Philip Nerney, Member Relations Committee Co-Chairs Leland Chang, Mess & Bar Committee Chair Patricia Moad & Jen Lau, NextGen Committee Co-Chairs Eric Schiff, Physical Plant Committee Chair Richard Sakimoto II & Nick Dreher, Wine Committee Co-Chairs OTHER COMMITTEES Jennifer Murata, Budget & Finance Committee Chair Deena Dray, Membership Committee Chair Caroline Witherspoon, Nominating Committee Chair EXECUTIVE STAFF Amy Damon, General Manager/COO Direct: (808) 748-4829 ADamon@ ePaci cClub.org Eric Leterc, Executive Chef Direct: (808) 748-4830 ELeterc@ ePaci cClub.org Nicole Gibson, Food & Beverage Director Direct: (808) 748-4835 NGibson@ ePaci cClub.org Peter Bressler, Controller Direct: (808) 748-4825 PBressler@ ePaci cClub.org Kerry Holladay, Membership Director Direct: (808) 748-4827 KHolladay@ ePaci cClub.org Logan Hailele, Facilities Director Direct: (808) 748-4834 LHailele@ ePaci cClub.org Ruth Magelssen, Athletic Director Direct: (808) 748-4860 RMagelssen@ ePaci cClub.org Diana Carmona, Director of Catering Direct: (808) 748-4829 DCarmona@ ePaci cClub.org Hannah Dennis, O ce Manager Direct: (808) 748-4822 HDennis@ ePaci cClub.org Athletic Kiosk , Direct (808) 748-4842 Tiare Terrace , (808) 748-4848 FRONT DESK Club: (808) 536-0836 Fax: (808) 533-6710 Front Desk ext. 0 E-mai l: f ront-office@ThePacificC lub.org Website: w w w.ThePacificC lub.org For advertising information contact: Kerry Holladay, Membership Director Direct: (808) 748-4827 KHolladay@ ePaci cClub.org
Christy Lefteri’s The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a profoundly human story that feels both timeless and urgently relevant. It follows Nuri, a gentle beekeeper from Aleppo, and his wife Afra, an artist who loses her sight after witnessing an unthinkable tragedy. Their perilous journey from Syria to the United Kingdom during the civil war traces not only the devastation of conflict and displacement but also the fragile terrain of memory, trauma, love, and the enduring pull of hope.
Their story echoes the experiences of countless families, including my own. My wife’s relatives left Syria decades ago in search of a better life, just as my Irish ancestors left a homeland shaken by conflict of a civil war. As Lefteri shows, fleeing war and persecution is never only a physical escape—it is a profound remaking of identity shaped by loss, courage, and the belief that renewal is possible and hope endures. The novel feels especially resonant today, with the recent toppling of the former regime in Syria and new provisional government charting hope for a better future. Recent investigations into the former regime have shown further clarity to the atrocities Syrians endured, many of which echo through Lefteri’s pages. Her time working with Syrian refugees in Greece infuses the novel with authenticity and compassion. Moving between past and present, the narrative follows Nuri and Afra through the ruins of Aleppo, treacherous smuggling routes, refugee camps, and the limbo of asylum. At its heart is Nuri’s devotion to Afra and to his beekeeping—an allegory for resilience, community, and the instinct to rebuild even after devastation. Ultimately, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a tender, haunting, and hopeful novel. It illuminates the darkness of war while celebrating the unbreakable familial bonds that carry us toward healing and renewal.
SUBMITTED BY PETE DOOHER
NEW BOOKS ADDED TO THE LIBRARY
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christi Lefteri
1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin
When News Breaks by Carol Lin
Surfing Sisterhood Hawai'i by Mindy Pennybacker
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Island Homes by Peter Vincent
Hawaiian Sovereignty: Do The Facts Matter? by Thurston Twigg-Smith
Please visit our Library Online Catalog for a complete list of resources available to members. Scan QR code or visit www.thepacificclub.library.site
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