People of the Book
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People of the Book
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Narrated by:
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Edwina Wren
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By:
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Geraldine Brooks
About this listen
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.
©2008 Geraldine Brooks (P)2008 Bolinda Publishing Pty LtdCritic 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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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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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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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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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carol Welsh
- 09-09-2020
ABSOLUTE BRILLIANCE
This amazing book along with the extraordinary Edwina Wren ...gifted narrrator; makes this one of the best books ive ever read ...and re-read about 6 times. We are taken back through time seeing the harrowing story of the Jewish people as in the present ....bits of evidence found in the Codex are clues to it's existance and rescueing...(twice byMuslim hands!) The afterward is a must too. Utter brilliance!!
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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
- Sandy C
- 16-08-2018
Spectacular journey through history
Not an easy read but the characters leap to life off the page/ recording. Loved the fascinating insights about book conservation and also the history of Sarajevo - a little hard to get into at first but never fear you will be captivared
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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
- Peter
- 26-11-2016
Wonderful drift through history
Well done again Geraldine - a master at historic fiction - fascinating story and powerful writing - with strong emotional impacts. Congratulations too to Edwina Wren the narrator who managed to bring the characters to life in such vividness and depth.
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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
- Conny Davis
- 07-03-2024
Captivating book
Incredibly well researched, spellbinding book, love Geraldine’s books,you finish them and would like them to continue.
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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
- Anonymous User
- 05-10-2023
Wonderful story and gorgeously read
A great book with a wide ranging timeline and many separate stories woven into the one story 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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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael P Kowalewski
- 11-10-2024
Putting you, the reader,in the history.
The book progresses through history backwards, a century at a time, & we get to live in those times.
It took me awhile to click on that it was systematic & not just jumping around at random dates, so that method was very clever & I got to enjoy that.
It's a fictional work, based on true events, which gives us a snippet of people's way of life in the past.
A good read 📃😁
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