Planes

A novel

By Peter C Baker | Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

About the book

A CHICAGO TRIBUNE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • An urgent, fiercely intelligent debut novel about \"two couples, an ocean apart—one wounded by a war crime, the other just starting to reckon with being implicated in it.... An insightful book about the slow, zigzag work of healing that nonetheless moves at the speed of a thriller\" (Caleb Crain, author of Necessary Errors).

For years, Amira—a recent convert to Islam living in Rome—has gone to work, said her prayers, and struggled to piece together her husband’s redacted letters from the Moroccan black site where he is imprisoned. She moves as inconspicuously as possible through her modest life, doing her best to avoid the whispered curiosity of her community. 
 
Meanwhile, Mel—once an activist—is trying to get the suburban conservatives of her small North Carolina town to support her school board initiatives, and struggles to fill her empty nest. It's a steady, settled life, except perhaps for the affair she can't admit she's having.
 
As these narratives unfurl thousands of miles apart, they begin to resonate like the two sides of a tuning fork. And when Mel learns that a local charter airline serves as a front for the CIA’s extraordinary renditions—including that of Amira's husband—both women face wrenching questions that will shape the rest of their lives.
 
Written with piercing insight and artistry, Planes is a singular, assured, and indelible first novel that announces a major new voice.

Editions of Planes

Paperback
ISBN 9780593314494
AltFormat
ISBN 9780593320273
EBook
ISBN 9780593320280
AudioStreaming
ISBN 9780593551400
AudioStreaming
ISBN 9780593551417

Read an Excerpt

A CHICAGO TRIBUNE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • An urgent, fiercely intelligent debut novel about \"two couples, an ocean apart—one wounded by a war crime, the other just starting to reckon with being implicated in it.... An insightful book about the slow, zigzag work of healing that nonetheless moves at the speed of a thriller\" (Caleb Crain, author of Necessary Errors).

For years, Amira—a recent convert to Islam living in Rome—has gone to work, said her prayers, and struggled to piece together her husband’s redacted letters from the Moroccan black site where he is imprisoned. She moves as inconspicuously as possible through her modest life, doing her best to avoid the whispered curiosity of her community. 
 
Meanwhile, Mel—once an activist—is trying to get the suburban conservatives of her small North Carolina town to support her school board initiatives, and struggles to fill her empty nest. It's a steady, settled life, except perhaps for the affair she can't admit she's having.
 
As these narratives unfurl thousands of miles apart, they begin to resonate like the two sides of a tuning fork. And when Mel learns that a local charter airline serves as a front for the CIA’s extraordinary renditions—including that of Amira's husband—both women face wrenching questions that will shape the rest of their lives.
 
Written with piercing insight and artistry, Planes is a singular, assured, and indelible first novel that announces a major new voice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Planes about?

A CHICAGO TRIBUNE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • An urgent, fiercely intelligent debut novel about \"two couples, an ocean apart—one wounded by a war crime, the other just starting to reckon with being implicated in it.... An insightful book about the slow, zigzag work of healing that nonetheless moves at the speed of a thriller\" (Caleb Crain, author of Necessary Errors).

For years, Amira—a recent convert to Islam living in Rome—has gone to work, said her prayers, and struggled to piece together her husband’s redacted letters from the Moroccan black site where he is imprisoned. She moves as inconspicuously as possible through her modest life, doing her best to avoid the whispered curiosity of her community. 
 
Meanwhile, Mel—once an activist—is trying to get the suburban conservatives of her small North Carolina town to support her school board initiatives, and struggles to fill her empty nest. It's a steady, settled life, except perhaps for the affair she can't admit she's having.
 
As these narratives unfurl thousands of miles apart, they begin to resonate like the two sides of a tuning fork. And when Mel learns that a local charter airline serves as a front for the CIA’s extraordinary renditions—including that of Amira's husband—both women face wrenching questions that will shape the rest of their lives.
 
Written with piercing insight and artistry, Planes is a singular, assured, and indelible first novel that announces a major new voice.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Planes?

Fiction > Family life fiction / Stories about family

Where can I read a sample of Planes?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780593314494

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Planes?

Peter C Baker

Who is the Publisher of the book Planes?

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Planes is available as paperback(ISBN 9780593314494) and altformat(ISBN 9780593320273) and ebook(ISBN 9780593320280) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780593551400) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780593551417)

Where can I buy Planes online or support local independent bookshops?

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Where can I buy Planes?