In this edition of arts24 we discover an extraordinary book unlike any you've probably ever read. "American Mother" is a thriller, a memoir, a mystery: the story of how Diane Foley found answers and atonement after her son James was brutally murdered by the Islamic State (IS) group. He was a freelance journalist who was held captive by the IS group for two years before being beheaded in the Syrian desert in 2014. The video was shared online for all the world to see. In the book "American Mother", Diane Foley's voice has been captured by legendary Irish writer Colum McCann.
Colum is the author of seven novels, translated into more than 40 languages. His honours include the US National Book Award, a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French government and an Oscar nomination. They join Eve Jackson in the studio to talk about the importance of sharing James's story with the world and their experience of sitting face-to-face with one of his killers.
