Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels

“Haunted by the past, two men seek healing through memory.”

Fugitive Pieces is a novel by Canadian poet Anne Michaels. The book was first published in 1996 and is well-known for its beautiful prose and deep, poetic insight.

The novel is divided into two parts, and it tells the story of two men, Jakob Beer and Ben, whose lives are scarred by their experiences during and after World War II.

Jakob, a Jewish boy, is orphaned during the war and is rescued by a Greek geologist. Throughout his life, he struggles to come to terms with the loss of his family and the trauma of the past. His experiences are related through his own narrative, as he reflects on his life, his love, his work as a poet, and his personal growth.

The second part of the book is narrated by Ben, a researcher who is greatly influenced by Jakob's work. He, too, grapples with personal traumas and seeks understanding through the study of history, memory, and personal connection.

"Fugitive Pieces" explores themes of memory, history, loss, love, and redemption, weaving these themes together in a way that has touched many readers. The poetic language and profound insights into human emotion and experience have made it a notable work in contemporary literature.