BOOK REVIEW
The Librarian of Burned Books
Author: Brianna Labuskes
Berlin 1933 sees the real beginning of Hitler’s powerful regime and the persecution of the Jewish people living in that city. Hannah Brecht is Jewish and living there.
A well- known and respected American author, Althea James, very surprisingly, is summoned by Joseph Goebbels to participate in a cultural exchange program in Germany.
Hannah and Althea meet and are immediately drawn to each other. Hannah introduces Althea to the ‘real’ Berlin – nightclubs and their ‘patrons’ – and Althea is also drawn into a group of resisters who make her question everything, not only about the current situation in Germany but about herself. She then witnesses the burning of the books banned by the Nazis.
When life becomes too difficult and dangerous for Hannah in Berlin, in 1936, she escapes to Paris. Unfortunately she finds refuge there also becomes difficult as anti-Semitism and Nazi sympathizing is increasing. She throws herself into her work at the German Library of Burned Books. Eventually she must make the decision about her future place of dwelling.
In 1944, in New York, Vivian Childs has been waging her own war. Since her husband, Edward, was killed in action she has been behind the Armed Services Editions (ASE) involved in shipping paperbacks to troops serving overseas. She comes up against a senator who is not in favour of this move and labels it as propaganda.
She continues to fight and enlists the help of Althea James whom she knows to have returned from Berlin and a mysterious woman tending the American Library of Burned Books in Brooklyn. That woman happens to be Hannah Brecht.
After the women have spoken at Vivian’s event in support of the ASE it becomes clear that Vivian’s fight is very worthwhile.
The way these womens lives are woven together is fascinating and I can truly recommend this book to anyone interested in World War two fiction and non-fiction.
ROSALIE HOWARTH
Author: Brianna Labuskes
Berlin 1933 sees the real beginning of Hitler’s powerful regime and the persecution of the Jewish people living in that city. Hannah Brecht is Jewish and living there.
A well- known and respected American author, Althea James, very surprisingly, is summoned by Joseph Goebbels to participate in a cultural exchange program in Germany.
Hannah and Althea meet and are immediately drawn to each other. Hannah introduces Althea to the ‘real’ Berlin – nightclubs and their ‘patrons’ – and Althea is also drawn into a group of resisters who make her question everything, not only about the current situation in Germany but about herself. She then witnesses the burning of the books banned by the Nazis.
When life becomes too difficult and dangerous for Hannah in Berlin, in 1936, she escapes to Paris. Unfortunately she finds refuge there also becomes difficult as anti-Semitism and Nazi sympathizing is increasing. She throws herself into her work at the German Library of Burned Books. Eventually she must make the decision about her future place of dwelling.
In 1944, in New York, Vivian Childs has been waging her own war. Since her husband, Edward, was killed in action she has been behind the Armed Services Editions (ASE) involved in shipping paperbacks to troops serving overseas. She comes up against a senator who is not in favour of this move and labels it as propaganda.
She continues to fight and enlists the help of Althea James whom she knows to have returned from Berlin and a mysterious woman tending the American Library of Burned Books in Brooklyn. That woman happens to be Hannah Brecht.
After the women have spoken at Vivian’s event in support of the ASE it becomes clear that Vivian’s fight is very worthwhile.
The way these womens lives are woven together is fascinating and I can truly recommend this book to anyone interested in World War two fiction and non-fiction.
ROSALIE HOWARTH