People of the Book - Hardcover

Brooks, Geraldine

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0007177437 ISBN 13: 9780007177431

Publisher: Fourth Estate, 2008

Synopsis

The new novel from the author of ‘March’ and ‘Year of Wonders’ takes place in the aftermath of the Bosnian War, as a young book conservator arrives in Sarajevo to restore a lost treasure.

When Hannah Heath gets a call in the middle of the night in her Sydney home about a precious medieval manuscript which has been recovered from the smouldering ruins of wartorn Sarajevo, she knows she is on the brink of the experience of a lifetime. A renowned book conservator, she must now make her way to Bosnia to start work on restoring The Sarajevo Haggadah, a Jewish prayer book – to discover its secrets and piece together the story of its miraculous survival. But the trip will also set in motion a series of events that threaten to rock Hannah’s orderly life, including her encounter with Ozren Karamen, the young librarian who risked his life to save the book.

As meticulously researched as all of Brooks’s previous work, ‘People of the Book’ is a gripping and moving novel about war, art, love and survival.

About this title

Review:

‘Even more compelling than the detective plot is the novel's portrayal of the harrowing lives of its historical characters. Brooks is a compassionate writer. “People of the Book” is a powerful account of individual resistance to intolerance and the precious value of history. It is also a gripping story.' TLS

‘The epic themes of love and war are her preferred canvas and here she sets up multiple narrative strands to tell the turbulent story of this Haggadah. Anti–Semitism is the momentum propelling the book's extraordinary journey forwards and Brooks evokes her various fraught historical–religious conflicts vividly.' Metro

‘Brooks's extensive research is evident throughout.' Scotsman

'Brooks expertly guides us to the conclusion that the world is made up of only two types of people: those who would destroy books and those who would give their lives to save them. This illuminating novel, like its predecessor, is well worthy of both Pulitzer and prime–time approbation.' Simmy Richman, Independent on Sunday

‘An irresistible subject, given urgency by its timeliness and poignancy by its paradoxicality: for the novel is based on the true story of an ancient Jewish codex saved from the fire by a Muslim librarian. Her performance will satisfy many readers.' Guardian

'These stories have a raw and visceral power. The book is full of historical detail.' F.T. Magazine

‘Set to sweep the board with this moving tale of how an ancient copy of the Haggadah, a Jewish text, survives centuries of war, religious oppression and Nazi greed.' Sainsbury’s Magazine, Book of the Month

Praise for ‘March’:

‘Brooks’s considerable historical research for “March” is pleasingly lightly worn. Her efforts have borne a rich fruit. It is a big, generous romp that manages to make clever use of “Little Women” without suffocating beneath it.’ Sophie Harrison, Sunday Times

‘A tightly controlled novel in which, you sense, every sentence has been carefully weighed and calculated, and Brooks successfully balances narrative leanness with luxuriant language. “March” is that rare species: a serious popular novel that is not afraid to grapple with big ideas.’ Douglas Kennedy, Waterstones Books Quarterly

'Researched with great historical thoroughness, “March” hews faithfully to the spirit of Alcott's original...Louise May Alcott would be well pleased.' Economist

Praise for ‘The Year of Wonders’:

'The “Year of Wonders” is a staggering fictional debut that matches journalistic accumulation of detail to natural narrative flair.' Guardian

‘A lyrically written and emotionally engaging novel.' Independent

'The plot is gripping, I like the psychological subtlety of characters struggling with a shifting world, and it’s packed with historical detail.' Daily Mail

Book Description:

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March, comes the journey of a rare manuscript through centuries of exile and war.

About this edition

• Publisher: Fourth Estate
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0007177437
• ISBN 13: 9780007177431
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 356