Selfpreservation versus historical preservation one of the central questions of this novel revolves around the idea of preservationwhat it means to preserve a historical artifact or manuscript, and what it means to preserve the self. It is also used in judaism to refer to the jewish people and by members of some christian denominations to refer to themselves the quran uses the term in reference to jews. Brooks discusses her latest historical novel with awardwinning journalist john hockenberry, the host of wnycs new morning show, the takeaway. This study guide consists of approximately 45 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis. Inspired by a true story, people of the book is a novel of sweeping historical grandeur and int.
The first time i read geraldine brooks s novel march, i was at a bus station in richmond. Plot summary geraldine brooks people of the book is a historical fiction novel about a book conservator named dr. Discussion of themes and motifs in geraldine brooks people of the book. Hanna introduces herself to ozren with her theory on preservation, saying, to restore a book to the way it was.
The characters are on the bland side, each one with a predictable. The book, inspired by a real rare illuminated manuscript, imagines its life from its creation in medieval seville to the present, through the lives of the people who come into contact with the book. People of the book by geraldine brooks reading guide. The protagonist of geraldine brookss novel is a precious volume. I thought that she must just feel really strongly about these particular themes to have written two books about them. From the opening chapter to the closing page, brooks crams so many people, places, and events into her ambitious and intricate account of a jewish prayer book that she leaves you longing for a scorecard. Brooks, who won the pulitzer prize for her previous novel, march, has drawn her inspiration from. Its a haunting, mesmerizing and beautifully written story about the sarajevo haggadah.
She has also written the acclaimed nonfiction works nine parts of desire and foreign correspondence. People of the book by geraldine brooks the independent. In sarajevo, people of different religions lived next door to one another. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. This is the official fan page for geraldine brooks and her books. From the pulitzer prizewinning author of march, the journey of a rare illuminated prayer book through centuries of war, destruction, theft, loss, and love. After being saved from the yugoslav civil war, an australian book restorer is flown out to prepare it for its new role as centrepiece of the rebuilt museum. People of the book geraldine brooks fiction 384 pages. People of the book by geraldine brooks, first edition. The story focuses on imagined events surrounding protagonist and real historical past of the still extant sarajevo haggadah, one of the oldest surviving jewish illuminated texts. People of the book by geraldine brooks thriftbooks. In findesiecle vienna, a jewish doctor unwittingly plays a role in the theft of the books clasps. The plot of people of the book revolves around the sarajevo haggadah a beautifully illustrated, ancient and rare jewish prayerbook. Free download or read online people of the book pdf epub book.
The main theme of brooks s novel is religious tolerance and intolerance. People of the book is a 2008 historical novel by geraldine brooks. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Before you give yourself up to the sweep and scope of people of the book, the captivating new novel from pulitzer prize winner geraldine brooks, grab some paper and a pen. People of the book is set in so many different eras.
An interview with geraldine brooks, by elizabeth blachman. It overburdens her tale in ways that make it more admirable than gripping. Ahl alkitab is an islamic term which refers to jews, christians and sabians and is sometimes applied to members of other religions such as zoroastrians. 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. That being said, although i hoped geraldine brooks people of the book would live up to the. The bus had been canceled, and i was stuck sitting on the marble floor of the station with my backpack tucked under my legs from ten p. I borrowed people of the book from my library on audio. This study guide refers specifically to the 2008 penguin paperbacks edition of people of the book by geraldine brooks. Fiction or not, should brooks be contentiously rewriting the history. Summary 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. There was definitely more to research, but it wasnt difficult. Geraldine brooks most likely had herself in mind when hanna observes, by linking research and imagination, sometimes i can think myself into the heads of the people who made the book. People of the book by gerladine brooks geraldine brooks.
For the librarians, says the dedication page of geraldine brooks s new novel, people of the book. The people of the book, by geraldine brooks im listening to this one on audio, and while the book begins well, it simply doesnt sustain for the long run. Meanwhile, a clunky thrillerish subplot lumbers to an implausible denouement. I loved the various journeysactual and intellectualthat it took me on. I know i am going to finish it, because, well, its not like its taking up time i could use for much elseits hard to actually read a book. The people of the book by geraldine brooks definitely is a good book, and more. But it also applies to the main point of the book, which is to tell the stories of some of the people who left their fingerprints on the prayer book, and in doing so tell some of the history of the haggadah. The author of the pulitzer prizewinning march and year of wonders, geraldine brooks has made a name for herself as one of the foremost novelists of our era. People of the book is a novel about the journey of a rare illuminated prayer book through centuries of war. But the trip will also set in motion a series of events that threaten to rock hannahs orderly life, including her encounter with ozren karamen, the young librarian who risked his life to save the book.
Theres a great story buried in geraldine brookss people of the book. I have to admit, because i know im among friends, that for the first half of calebs crossing i thought geraldine brooks also wrote the weight of ink because the themes are so very similar. The book is an imagined history following the real clues found in the manuscript, and the novel jumps back and forth between hannas findings and. During world war ii, a young partisan is saved by the same muslim who risks his life to protect the haggadah from the nazis. Inspired by a true story, people of the book is at once a novel of sweeping historical grandeur and intimate emotional intensity, an ambitious.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 372 pages and is available in hardcover format. Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest jewish volumes. A fictionalized history of the real sarajevo haggadah, an illuminated jewish prayer book for the passover seder that is now around 500 years old. 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. Geraldine brooks is the author of four novels, the pulitzer prizewinning march and the international bestsellers calebs crossing, people of the book, and year of wonders. To brooks, arguing through hanna, a historical book is the sum not only of its contents, but its own history as well. But the intense bibliographic appeal of people of the book turns out to be a mixed blessing.
A haggadah is a book of jewish rites and the sarajevo haggadah was written in spain before the exile of. I can figure out who they were, or how they worked. Pdf people of the book book by geraldine brooks free. Reading guide for people of the book by geraldine brooks. Now in her dazzling new novel, people of the book, brooks allows both her native land and current events to play a larger role while still continuing to mine the historical material that speaks so. Simultaneously, brooks reveals the gripping tale of survival behind each miniscule artifact. Geraldine brooks is one of those authors i keep meaning to read, but had not. View our feature on geraldine books s people of the book 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.
The story follows a fictional protagonist as she works on restoring. Not long after the united states invaded iraq, a memorable photograph appeared. But i feel a certain tenderness towards all of the characters, perhaps especially the most flawed ones. People of the book geraldine brooks, 2008 penguin group usa 384 pp. Was it a more difficult book to research and write than your previous novels. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like selfpreservation versus historical preservation and power of empathy.
People of the book by geraldine brookspeople of the book tackles big, emotional themes with ambition and diligence, says jane housham. Geraldine brooks is the author of the pulitzer prizewinning march and the international bestsellers calebs crossing, people of the book, and year of wonders. Reviews less flash and more substance than the da vinci code. The stories of the sarajevo haggadah, both factual and fictional, are stirring. People of the book is a 2008 historicalfiction novel by australianamerican journalist geraldine brooks. In people of the book inspired by the true story of the sarajevo haggadahshe brilliantly interweaves an epic historical saga of persecution and survival with a powerful modernday.
Book club discussion of geraldine brooks people of the book. Geraldine brooks people of the book is a historical fiction novel about a book conservator named dr. What librarian could resist a novel that has the word book in its title, is centered on an intrepid book conservator, exults in book preservation exotica and has a plot about a rare book with a long, fraught and serpentine history. Hanna heath and her intensive research on the history of the famous sarajevo haggadah. Geraldine brooks, the pulitzer prize winning author of march, discusses her latest work. The first edition of the novel was published in january 1st 2008, and was written by geraldine brooks. A book is not just a story, but is a story itself complete with its own history, argues geraldine brooks in her novel people of the book. For the librarians, says the dedication page of geraldine brooks s new novel.
1139 935 671 1546 681 976 177 641 657 311 1041 900 153 48 1145 696 1551 908 904 602 483 883 1127 1164 769 488 145 832 1448 1176 1308 654 25 1372 886 1172