Add BookmarkPeople of the Book: A Novel
From the Pulitzer Prizewinning author of March, the journey of a rare illuminated manuscript through centuries of exile and war
In 1996, Hanna Heath, an Australian rare-book expert, is offered the job of a lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued from Serb shelling during the Bosnian war. Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with images. When Hanna, a caustic loner with a passion ... (show more)
From the Pulitzer Prizewinning author of March, the journey of a rare illuminated manuscript through centuries of exile and war
In 1996, Hanna Heath, an Australian rare-book expert, is offered the job of a lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued from Serb shelling during the Bosnian war. Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with images. When Hanna, a caustic loner with a passion for her work, discovers a series of tiny artifacts in its ancient bindingan insect wing fragment, wine stains, salt crystals, a white hairshe begins to unlock the books mysteries. The reader is ushered into an exquisitely detailed and atmospheric past, tracing the books journey from its salvation back to its creation.
In Bosnia during World War II, a Muslim risks his life to protect it from the Nazis. In the hedonistic salons of fin-de-siècle Vienna, the book becomes a pawn in the struggle against the citys rising anti-Semitism. In inquisition-era Venice, a Catholic priest saves it from burning. In Barcelona in 1492, the scribe who wrote the text sees his family destroyed by the agonies of enforced exile. And in Seville in 1480, the reason for the Haggadahs extraordinary illuminations is finally disclosed. Hannas investigation unexpectedly plunges her into the intrigues of fine art forgers and ultra-nationalist fanatics. Her experiences will test her belief in herself and the man she has come to love.
Inspired by a true story, People of the Book is at once a novel of sweeping historical grandeur and intimate emotional intensity, an ambitious, electrifying work by an acclaimed and beloved author. (show less)
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Its not a bad book, but its not a great one either. The subject matter is fascinating, the flash-back historical sections are wonderful, but the present time narrator lacks dimension. The author decided to create drama in the current time, which is entirely unnecessary and detracts from the rest of the story.
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This is a book, like Orhan Pamuk's The White Castle, that I will probably have to think about quite a lot before I make up my mind about it. I have been working out ideas about cultural exchange and identity, especially in the early modern period, for quite some time and in some of these places, and much of the story holds a fascination because of that. I am not sure why she chose to create fictional historical characters that in some cases are so thinly disguised as to be completely recogniz... (show more)
This is a book, like Orhan Pamuk's The White Castle, that I will probably have to think about quite a lot before I make up my mind about it. I have been working out ideas about cultural exchange and identity, especially in the early modern period, for quite some time and in some of these places, and much of the story holds a fascination because of that. I am not sure why she chose to create fictional historical characters that in some cases are so thinly disguised as to be completely recognizable, as in the Venice section of the book. The interplay between the work on restoration and the historical sections is interesting although sometimes slightly awkward but I find that novelists frequently have difficulty in making this work out smoothly. I may want to read it again at some point and think about it in light of other reading before making any definitive judgment about it. That in itself is probably a recommendation to other potential readers. (show less)
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This was a decent book, but not a great one. I think my biggest complaint is that it goes on past its natural end, adding yet another twist, but a pointless one. I would have liked to find out what happened to some of the seemingly important characters; maybe the ball was dropped a little there, or maybe it just isn't supposed to matter once they let go of the book. Anyway, it's enjoyable if not entirely satisfying.
Facebook User 5 days ago -
I love historical fiction and I thought this was a very interesting subject matter. I loved the sections flipping back in time but the present day story and characters left me wanting.
Facebook User 9 days ago -
My first Geraldine Brooks book. Interesting story of a religious book. An overview of Jewish history. Some characters lack the depth, while others are well developed. The narrator's own story is the least interesting. In general, not a bad read, visiting different periods and learning about the social life of those times was interesting.
Mine Dosluoglu about 1 month ago -
First one I've read of Geraldine Brooks and very different from the chick lit books I've been reading over the summer. A bit challenging to start with as you try to gain an understanding of the flicking back and forward though time but I was mesmerized after a short while and couldn't put it down. All in all I found it an interesting read.
Facebook User 2 months ago -
Being that I work in the library field I found the idea of this book fascinating. I don't feel that the sections told from Hanna's point of view always made smooth transitions between the other sections. I'm also confused about how Hanna's relationship with her mother and her family background really have to do with Haggadah. Not Brooks' best effort.
Katrina Zwaaf 2 months ago -
Of her 3 fiction titles, which do you prefer?
Halfway through "People of the Book", I am a bit disappointed in Brooks' third work of fiction. After reading her first two, I was REALLY looking forward to the next ... it's a bit hard to follow, but maybe that's because I'm listening to it rather than reading it. The concept is good, the history is interesting, but ... well, guess I need to finish before giving my final opinion!
Facebook User about 1 year ago -
overkill
I felt that the book was so well researched that nothing between the 1600s and 2000s was left out! For me it was just too much to take in. Having said that, a very good novel
Sheila Levine about 1 year ago
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