Journal Entry 1 by Nu-Knees from Knaresborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, May 02, 2009

I love this book. I first read a library copy in hardback last February, read the same copy a second time to discuss at reading group the following month, and then read the paperback copy I was given for Christmas when we discussed it at a different book club last month. It's held up well to the scrutiny of being read three times!

Since it's been available in paperback, I've bought half a dozen copies to share with family and friends. This is one of them :-) Yes, I really do recommend it that highly!

From the back cover: "The book came across six hundred years and an entire continent. Through the hands of the devout, the desperate and the deadly. To the one woman who can bring it all to glorious life....

"During World War II a Bosnian Muslim risks his life to save the book from the Nazis; it gets caught up in the intrigues of hedonistic nineteenth-century Vienna; a Catholic priest saves it from burning in the fires of the Inquisition. These stories and more make up the secret history of the priceless Sarajevo Haggadah - a medieval Jewish prayer book recovered from the smouldering ruins of the war-torn city.

"Now it is in the skilled hands of rare-book restorer Hanna Heath. And while the content of the book interests her, it is the hidden history which captures her imagination. Because to her the tiny clues - salt crystals, a hair, wine stains - that she discovers in the pages and bindings are keys to unlock its mysteries...."

As a book-lover, I love books about books - and this is a particularly good one! 

Journal Entry 2 by Nu-Knees at Ripley, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (5/5/2009 UTC) at Ripley, North Yorkshire United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

A RABCK for a BookCrosser who had it on her Wish List. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 3 by sunlightbub from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Thanks Nu-knees. I really enjoyed March and Year of Wonders so I'm looking forward to this :) 

Journal Entry 4 by sunlightbub from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Thursday, July 02, 2009

I really didn't want to put this down after reading the first couple of pages, and really enjoyed the book.
I loved the idea of being able to follow the books travels through history ( Bit like bookcrossing really. They'd have saved Hanna a lot of trouble if it had been registered!!) And learnign about it's custodians.
My favourite part was at the very end when Hanna added her own clue.
Now off to Rootmartin! Enjoy xx 

Journal Entry 5 by rootmartin at Marlborough, Massachusetts USA on Monday, September 06, 2010

I enjoyed how this book switched back and forth between the past and the present time. However, I like a little more "mystery" in my books and didn't find this plot line as captivating as I was hoping.

I'll be passing this on at my church's yard sale at St. Matthias in Marlborough, MA, USA.