Brooke's review
People of the Book: A Novel
by Geraldine Brooks
Brooke's review
People of the Book: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks
Brooke's review
rating:
bookshelves:
2008
People of the Book is a fictionalized account of the Sarajevo Haggadah's journey from its creation to the present. The point-of-view flips back and forth between Hanna, the modern-day conservator who is restoring the prayer book, and various people who once possessed it. Each historical short story is centered around things that Hanna finds in the book - for example, an insect wing, and a white hair.
It's a disturbing read, since each short story comes from a time and place in history where the Jewish people are being driven out of the country or killed by the masses. My favorite thing about Jewish history is how it spans so much time and land. The book demonstrates how there are so many different Jewish experiences, depending on the era and the country and the policies of rulers who found either accepting or scorning Jews to their political advantage. I can only trace my ancestors back to recent-Aus...more
It's a disturbing read, since each short story comes from a time and place in history where the Jewish people are being driven out of the country or killed by the masses. My favorite thing about Jewish history is how it spans so much time and land. The book demonstrates how there are so many different Jewish experiences, depending on the era and the country and the policies of rulers who found either accepting or scorning Jews to their political advantage. I can only trace my ancestors back to recent-Aus...more
