Friday, June 26, 2009

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

It's the story itself that captivates in People of the Book. The novel could be horribly written, and the story would still make this a must-read. However, Brooks weaves an intelligent and articulate saga, chronicling the journey of a Passover prayerbook through history. You, the reader, learn of this prayerbook's incredible journey through history in flashbacks instigated by the prayerbook's restoration. Each flashback begins with a discovery made by the book's restorer. While we learn the history of the prayerbook, most of the amazing stories of heroism and preservation elude the characters in the novel.

What moved me the most throughout People of the Book was the heroism of people protecting a piece of history that wasn't even their own. Very few Jews are responsible for saving this treasured Passover prayerbook. It's impressive to think that, throughout history, there were always people willing to preserve and protect items outside their own culture no matter the personal danger it might put them in. This is an exciting story that will appeal to anyone and I highly recommend it.

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