People of the Book
1 journaler for this copy...
Really loved this, beautiful mix of historial sequences, believable characters and the story of a book...
Amazon Review
From 1480 Seville to 1996 Sarajevo, a priceless scripture is chased by fanatics political and religious. Its recovery makes for an enthralling historical mystery. In Sydney, ace (and gorgeous) old-book conservator Hannah Heath gets a 2 a.m. phone call. She's summoned to Sarajevo to check out a 15th-century Spanish-made Haggadah, a codex gone missing in Bosnia during a 1992 siege. The document is a curiosity, its lavish illuminations appearing to violate age-old religious injunctions against any kind of illustration. Remarkably, it's Muslim museum librarian Ozren Karaman who rescued the Hebrew artifact from furious shelling. Questioning (and bedding) Ozren, Hannah examines the Haggadah binding and from clues embedded there - an insect's wings, wine stains, white hair - reconstructs the book's biography. And it's an epic. Chapter by chapter, each almost an independent story, the chronicle unwinds - of the book's changing hands from those of anti-Nazi partisans dreaming of departing for Palestine from war-torn Croatia, from schemers in 1894 Vienna, home, despite Freud and Mahler, of virulent anti-Semitism. Perhaps the best chapter takes place in 1609 Venice. There, not-so-grand Inquisitor Domenico Vistorini, a heretic hunter with a drinking problem, contends in theological disputation with brilliant rabbinical star Judah Aryeh. The two strike up an unlikely alliance to save the book, even while Vistorini at first blanches at its art - a beautiful depiction of the glowing sun, prophesying, the hysterical priest assumes, Galileo's heliocentric blasphemy. Tracing those illustrations back to their origin point, Hannah unkinks a series of fascinating conundrums - and learns, even more fiercely, to prize the printed page.Rich suspense based on a true-life literary puzzle, from the Pulitzer Prize - winning Brooks (March, 2005, etc.). (Kirkus Reviews) -
I really enjoyed this book!, 17 Dec 2007
By E. Heckingbottom "elaineheck143" (U.K.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: People of the Book (Hardcover)
Having enjoyed March last year, I anticipated a treat when I picked this book up, and I was not disappointed. If anything, this book is better than her previous work (rewarded with the Pullitzer Prize for fiction.) It was one that I was loathed to put down, and virtually had to force myself to go Christmas shopping rather than continuing to read! What an amazing book!
This novel concentrates predominantly in more modern times, although the 'novel within the novel' takes us back through time; exploring the persecution of the Jews through recent times and back to the Spanish Inquisition.
Hanna, the main character, is a restorer of ancient books who is invited to restore teh Sarajevo haggadah - an ancient text which appears to have been preserved against all the odds. During her time with the book, she discovers several 'clues' to the past history of the book and the people responsible for its preservation. These clues lead her to speculate a bit more about the history of the book - but, meanwhile, the 'book within the book' allows the clues to reveal more of the story to us, the readers.
Other reviewers have expressed disappointment that Hanna herself was not able to uncover the story of the book's history - but for me, that would have been totally unrealistic from the few small clues hidden within, and would have ruined the credibility of this well researched piece of fiction. After all, this book is entitled 'The People of the Book' - so it is totally appropriate that it looks at those involved in the preservation, rather than in the book itself. Nevertheless, hanna's story is beautifully dealt with, and Brooks has still managed to add a couple of intriguing twists to the end of the story.
I found it intriguing to read in the appendix that Geraldine Brooks was fortunate enough to have witnessed the uncovering of the book in Sarajevo. How fortunate she was to have been allowed this privelege! I have also been intrigued enough to follow up from my reading and to find out more about this incredibly beautiful book through internet research. It is my hope, before long, to be able to see it for myself!
Enjoy this book - it is a rewarding, informative and intriguing read; giving an incomaparable insight into many aspects of European History.
Amazon Review
From 1480 Seville to 1996 Sarajevo, a priceless scripture is chased by fanatics political and religious. Its recovery makes for an enthralling historical mystery. In Sydney, ace (and gorgeous) old-book conservator Hannah Heath gets a 2 a.m. phone call. She's summoned to Sarajevo to check out a 15th-century Spanish-made Haggadah, a codex gone missing in Bosnia during a 1992 siege. The document is a curiosity, its lavish illuminations appearing to violate age-old religious injunctions against any kind of illustration. Remarkably, it's Muslim museum librarian Ozren Karaman who rescued the Hebrew artifact from furious shelling. Questioning (and bedding) Ozren, Hannah examines the Haggadah binding and from clues embedded there - an insect's wings, wine stains, white hair - reconstructs the book's biography. And it's an epic. Chapter by chapter, each almost an independent story, the chronicle unwinds - of the book's changing hands from those of anti-Nazi partisans dreaming of departing for Palestine from war-torn Croatia, from schemers in 1894 Vienna, home, despite Freud and Mahler, of virulent anti-Semitism. Perhaps the best chapter takes place in 1609 Venice. There, not-so-grand Inquisitor Domenico Vistorini, a heretic hunter with a drinking problem, contends in theological disputation with brilliant rabbinical star Judah Aryeh. The two strike up an unlikely alliance to save the book, even while Vistorini at first blanches at its art - a beautiful depiction of the glowing sun, prophesying, the hysterical priest assumes, Galileo's heliocentric blasphemy. Tracing those illustrations back to their origin point, Hannah unkinks a series of fascinating conundrums - and learns, even more fiercely, to prize the printed page.Rich suspense based on a true-life literary puzzle, from the Pulitzer Prize - winning Brooks (March, 2005, etc.). (Kirkus Reviews) -
I really enjoyed this book!, 17 Dec 2007
By E. Heckingbottom "elaineheck143" (U.K.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: People of the Book (Hardcover)
Having enjoyed March last year, I anticipated a treat when I picked this book up, and I was not disappointed. If anything, this book is better than her previous work (rewarded with the Pullitzer Prize for fiction.) It was one that I was loathed to put down, and virtually had to force myself to go Christmas shopping rather than continuing to read! What an amazing book!
This novel concentrates predominantly in more modern times, although the 'novel within the novel' takes us back through time; exploring the persecution of the Jews through recent times and back to the Spanish Inquisition.
Hanna, the main character, is a restorer of ancient books who is invited to restore teh Sarajevo haggadah - an ancient text which appears to have been preserved against all the odds. During her time with the book, she discovers several 'clues' to the past history of the book and the people responsible for its preservation. These clues lead her to speculate a bit more about the history of the book - but, meanwhile, the 'book within the book' allows the clues to reveal more of the story to us, the readers.
Other reviewers have expressed disappointment that Hanna herself was not able to uncover the story of the book's history - but for me, that would have been totally unrealistic from the few small clues hidden within, and would have ruined the credibility of this well researched piece of fiction. After all, this book is entitled 'The People of the Book' - so it is totally appropriate that it looks at those involved in the preservation, rather than in the book itself. Nevertheless, hanna's story is beautifully dealt with, and Brooks has still managed to add a couple of intriguing twists to the end of the story.
I found it intriguing to read in the appendix that Geraldine Brooks was fortunate enough to have witnessed the uncovering of the book in Sarajevo. How fortunate she was to have been allowed this privelege! I have also been intrigued enough to follow up from my reading and to find out more about this incredibly beautiful book through internet research. It is my hope, before long, to be able to see it for myself!
Enjoy this book - it is a rewarding, informative and intriguing read; giving an incomaparable insight into many aspects of European History.
