FILLING

THE CRACKS

A dentist spends his days fixing what’s broken. But when his own world kept cracking, from Damascus to war in Yugoslavia to a new start in California, the repairs he needed had nothing to do with instruments.

About The Author

Dr. Bassel Abouricheh

Dr. Bassel Abouricheh trained to repair teeth. Life had other plans. He grew up under the Syrian regime and got out. The Yugoslav civil war was waiting on the far side. He kept working through all of it, somehow.

When the fighting forced him out again, he took his wife and children and started over in California with almost nothing. He rebuilt a practice, a home, a life. The people who helped him became the heart of his story.

Now he writes about what those years taught him. Not the dentistry, though he still loves that work, but the quieter thing beneath it. How people mend each other. How one kind word at the right moment can hold you up.

FILLING THE CRACKS

Filling the Cracks follows one man across three countries and two wars. It opens in Damascus, moves through the collapse of Yugoslavia, and lands in California, where the author built a whole new life from nothing, again.

It isn’t really a war story. It’s about the small rescues. The mentor who vouched for him. The stranger who showed up on the worst day. The family who stayed. Each one filled a crack he could not reach on his own.

Read it for the history if you want. Most people stay for the heart of it. By the last page you’ll be thinking about the ones who filled your own cracks. And maybe, quietly, about whose cracks you might help fill next.

Video Trailer

The trailer is a short window into the book. A few minutes showcase the places, faces and moments that shaped this story from Damascus to California. It’s the quickest way to feel what the pages hold before you read a word.

Want to meet the author too? Press play and watch as he talks about the cracks that formed along the way, and the people who helped fill them. If the trailer stays with you, the book will too. Watch it, then decide.

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testimonials

Our Clients Say

I really enjoyed the story. It’s funny in places, gutting in others, and generous all the way through. Can easily give it to anyone who’s had to rebuild from nothing.

— Alexander

I picked this up expecting a war memoir. I got something warmer. It’s honest about the hard parts, but what stayed with me was the kindness. I finished it and called my father.

— Danny Harbet

The author writes about starting over without a trace of self-pity. Just truth, and a lot of heart. I couldn’t put it down and as an immigrant myself, I really connected with him.

— Suria .R

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this book really about?

This book is about the people who helped a Syrian dentist overcome war itself. Loss runs through every page of this book, but so does gratitude and hope.

Do I need to know the history first?

Not at all. The book fills you in as you go, from the Syrian regime to the Yugoslav civil war, through one family’s eyes. You can start knowing nothing about either and still follow every step of the journey.

Is this a very long book?

No, it’s a short, heart touching memoir of only 222 pages long. It’s a perfect length for a quick, light reading.

Who is this book really written for?

Anyone facing a fresh start, and anyone who loves them. Immigrants will see themselves in it. So will people rebuilding after loss of any kind. It’s a warm, honest read for anyone who believes we heal together.

Where can I get a copy of the book?

It’s on Amazon now, in both Kindle and print. Tap any of the buy buttons on this page and you’ll go straight to the listing. If you’d rather ask a question before you read, the contact form below reaches the author.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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There’s writing beyond the book, too. Short pieces on what it raised: starting over, the immigrant road, the strange overlap between fixing teeth and healing people. New posts land here when there’s something to say.