Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbaung. In prepping this episode of the pod,

while keeping an eye on the latest news out of Ukraine, we went back and forth about like,

oh, should we do a book that explains the money behind the Kremlin or a book that sheds light

on Putin's possible intentions. But war isn't just about the decision

makers. It affects a whole swath of people with little to no influence on global policy.

Now, yeah, that's an obvious point, but I think one that's easy to take for granted when paying

attention to the geopolitics. And it's a point that's at the center of the novel

we're bringing you today. It's a constellation of vital phenomena by Anthony Mara. And it takes

place in Chechnya, which has its own history of war with Russia. And in this interview from

2013, Mara tells NPR's Jackie Leiden why he wanted to write a novel about people

caught in the middle of conflicts, or as he puts it, about surgeons and not the soldiers.

In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.

Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors on our new show, Sources and Methods.

NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.

Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

The debut novel from writer Anthony Mara happens to be set in a world that most of us only have conjectures about.

Chechnya, the war-torn Russian republic, which has long sought its independence.

Mara traveled to Chechnya to write a lyrical and heartbreaking novel set amid daily violence.

People disappear, informers betray, and those with humanity suffer,

but not before adding to a tapestry that is compelling and spellbinding.

It involves two doctors colluding to save the life of a child.

The novel is called A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.

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