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People of the Book
- Narrated by: Edwina Wren
- Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins
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People of the Book
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Publisher's Summary
In 1996, Hanna Heath, an Australian rare-book expert, is offered the job of a lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued from Serb shelling during the Bosnian war. Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with images. When Hanna, a caustic loner with a passion for her work, discovers a series of tiny artifacts in its ancient binding-an insect wing fragment, wine stains, salt crystals, a white hair-she begins to unlock the book's mysteries. The reader is ushered into an exquisitely detailed and atmospheric past, tracing the book's journey from its salvation back to its creation.
In Bosnia during World War II, a Muslim risks his life to protect it from the Nazis. In the hedonistic salons of fin-de-siècle Vienna, the book becomes a pawn in the struggle against the city's rising anti-Semitism. In inquisition-era Venice, a Catholic priest saves it from burning. In Barcelona in 1492, the scribe who wrote the text sees his family destroyed by the agonies of enforced exile. And in Seville in 1480, the reason for the Haggadah's extraordinary illuminations is finally disclosed. Hanna's investigation unexpectedly plunges her into the intrigues of fine art forgers and ultra-nationalist fanatics. Her experiences will test her belief in herself and the man she has come to love.
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.
Critic Reviews
What listeners say about People of the Book
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 31-05-2018
Persist and then you'll be glued.
Incredible book, however, it did take me a little while to get into it and then I just couldn't stop listening... the narrator was brilliant.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- 1998
- 20-09-2022
An interesting tale
The readers multiple fake accents did not enhance the listeners experience at all. However the story is very well interwoven snd based on true incidents.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Karyn
- 08-09-2024
Interesting
Not what I expected, but this author never disappoints. Looking forward to more from her. Definitely recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 30-06-2024
Riveting time travelling tale of a mysterious Jewish Haggadah
Beautiful weaving of contemporary and ancient timelines to tell the story of the making of a Jewish haggadah, and its survival through many centuries, to end up in a war torn Bosnian library and museum.
The Aussie book conservator protagonist is an an amazing detective and follows the clues in this ancient text to trace its origins.
Absolutely riveting story but accents can be slightly annoying. Worth persisting with though. Highly recommended.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 16-07-2020
Blue Mountains Heights book club
A most enjoyable read. Our book club had a very involved discussion with many aspects of the journey of the Haggadah. We appreciated the way it was written, and the clever way periods of history were linked into the story. Very well researched.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Avril
- 02-04-2017
Bookclub book
I love a historical fiction book. found it a challenge to remember all the stories but do worth it in the end
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Allyson Mason
- 03-08-2022
Favourite
I love this book. It has become a favourite that I have re-read regularly. This was my first time listening to the book and the narrator has done a brilliant job.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Zydeco
- 20-08-2022
Loved the book, narration good but …
Gripping story based around the story of a book restorer & the life of an important ancient book. Weaves together stories of the people who created and those who protected it through the centuries. Fascinating history and mystery and discovery. The narration was fluent and expressive, however I was really annoyed about the many, many mispronunciations (English words, including common medical terms; others have picked up mispronunciations of Hebrew words). I thought that the heavy accents were just a bit silly & were so thick that they often sounded quite inauthentic. These issues were distracting and disappointing, & I thought the narrator would have done better to spend her time researching pronunciations of the words she didn’t know, rather than practising those accents. Fascinating story, I was amazed when I realised that it’s based on fact.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 11-01-2023
Perfect story telling!
History, romance and familial complications with an unexpected twist!! Amazing characters and heart rendering sacrifices! Hannah is an original and complex protagonist!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rayma Creswell
- 24-09-2024
Great research, so many pieces of history
A clever well researched work spanning history, religions, art of craft, and excellent word weaving. Living and learning packaged perfectly
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