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People of the Book
- Narrated by: Edwina Wren
- Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins
- Categories: History, Europe
Non-member price: $41.73
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Winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, 2009.
Tudor England. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is charged with securing his divorce. Into this atmosphere of distrust comes Thomas Cromwell - a man as ruthlessly ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself. His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested parliament and a king who fluctuates between romantic passions and murderous rages.
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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
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What listeners say about People of the Book
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- Karen
- 03-04-2016
Interesting story, great story concept
I really enjoyed this book, a great concept with an interesting story and great twist at the end. It was narrated well, but the narrators accents did not always work for me. This did not impact on a great story well read. I will recommend it to my friends and other readers
2 people found this helpful
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- rhys
- 31-01-2016
One of the best reads I have ever had!
I have both read and listened to this book multiple times as I enjoyed it so much. In fact after this book I was so impressed with her writing I have now read or listened to all of her books. This was my first and still my favorite.
1 person found this helpful
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- Amanda
- 28-01-2016
What a great story!!!
Wonderfully written brilliantly read. I Will certainly read more from this author. The afterward was really appreciated.
1 person found this helpful
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- 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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- 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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- Barbara
- 11-04-2020
Great story
Not an easy listen sometimes but a great story that linked the recent times with horrific episodes of the past. Very well written as expected from the author. A book for serious readers.
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- Anonymous User
- 27-01-2019
A sheer masterpiece
This is by far the most captivating book I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. I first read this book nearly a decade ago in high school, where I studied it for an essay (my own personal choice of book). I felt my relationship with literature was forever changed for the better.
Geraldine has a way of capturing your attention through her enthralling story lines, whilst simultaneously taking you through a journey in time and teaching you fascinating aspects of our world history in a way you have never considered before. All through the eyes of fictional characters you almost forget are fictional until after you put the book down.
Edwina, the narrator, I felt did a perfect job at capturing the essence and beauty of the storyline and all the stories of the People of the Book.
I cannot recommend this text any more highly.
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- 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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- 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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- EMILIA SANCHEZ
- 12-02-2018
FANTASTIC!!!!! I LOVED THIS STORY.
I love the story. It's one book that I would read again. definitely recommend to everyone who loves History.
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- Starr
- 02-03-2011
Excellent book, some narration problems
This is a fabulous book. A wonderful thread of history from 15th-16th century North Africa, Spain, and Italy to 19th century Vienna to 20th century Bosnia and Australia. The story is intricate, and bounces around between time frames, but it is written well enough that you don't get lost (unless you don't listen for a week or two, then you may have to rewind). The characters are all interesting--almost too interesting, I wanted to hear more of each of their stories.
I would have given this book 5 stars, but the narration sometimes distracted from the story. I guess if you don't speak any Hebrew or German, the fact that she can't EVER get the accent on the right syllable, wouldn't bother you, but it drove me crazy. (BTW, it's HagGADdah, not HAGgaddag and it's the SheMA, not the SHEma--I mean, paleeze! Also, Liebchen is pronounced leeb-SHIN, not leeb-KIN.) I don't speak Serbo-Croatian, Spanish or Arabic, so if there were mistakes there I didn't notice them.
However, that caveat should not keep you from listening to this book. Overall, the narration is fine, just some minor things that had me correcting her mistakes out loud!
3 people found this helpful
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- HDJ
- 25-11-2012
Wait for the movie
This book could have been so much better. The format was promising and it is clearly well researched but the central character is irritating and superficial. I became engrossed in the historical fiction which was fascinating. I'd have given the story 4 stars if Brooks had left out the present day nonsense with it's angst and contrived love affair. As for the ending, well, don't get me started on that! The whole thing reads like a screenplay-hence the title of this review. The narration is mediocre. At times, Wren's depiction of the characters is irritating but it wasn't enough to stop me listening.
1 person found this helpful
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- Martin
- 08-03-2012
Geraldine Brooks at her masterful best
I read People of the Book several years ago - a borrowed book - and early last year listened to Geraldine's new novel Caleb's Crossing.
I have gone back to People of the Book as the story is utterly fascinating - now hearing the book all I can say is Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant.
The story is engaging. The narrator, Edwina Wren, adds deep colour to the story with carefully chosen accents and a light yet entrancing tone that enriches this favourite book of mine.
The story, what has happened to this Jewish tome over the last 500 years, a story told by the conservator and the characters of the Book's journey since it was prepared, examines an illuminated manuscript when Jewish lore insisted that illumination is not appropriate.
A rich tapestry, I write this before I have finished Part 2 - I just couldn't wait to encourage others to buy People of the Book.
Exceptional author and hugely entertaining narrator. This is one of those books where it is fair to say, "a must have".
1 person found this helpful
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- Luc
- 19-09-2012
Words fail me -listened twice in a row!!
Where does People of the Book rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This would rate as one of my best loved books - audio or hardcopy - sumptuous!
I could not /cannot wait to recommend this book.
Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?
Delightful changes in time and character - with such perfect balance between fact and fiction.
Which character – as performed by Edwina Wren – was your favorite?
I have to say she gave all characters depth and distinction - she is really outstanding in this book, given the range of nationalities.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Must see!!
Any additional comments?
I just want to spread the word - this is a fantastic work.
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- "unknown"
- 17-03-2012
Quite a good story
This book to me seemed to keep my interest to the end but it was a bit hard to keep hold of the different strings to the plot. It seemed to need a little tightening up.Certain parts of the process of book conservation was very illuminating and educational indeed. At times, I enjoyed those aspects of it rather than the story.
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- Miroslaw
- 18-04-2009
In a single heart is a whole world contained....
"Into One Grain, there come a hundred harvests
In a single heart is a whole world contained."
This beautiful verse opens one of the chapters of the amazing (hi)story about Sarajevo Haggadah written by Geraldine Brooks. The novel, though fictional, tells the enchanting story of one of the most important manuscripts of Jewish Mediaeval art of book making. The book, valued today at about 700 million US dollars, remains in Sarajevo's National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It is a very good reading, particularly in the time of Passover - what was my case in 2009...
The story evolves in fascinating way - it is written in the reverse time order. We go with the narrator back into history, and at any moment we see how the PAST imprinted its mark on the PRESENT. And as we go deeper into the past, the more fascinated and mysterious the story is.
Beyond the narration, the message behind the book is about tolerance and cohabitations of all three great Abrahamic religions. The oldest story in the book comes from the famous Convivencia period in Spain's history - almost 800 years of relative tolerance between Muslims, Jews and Christians. The book tells also the story of 1492 expulsion of Jews from Spain and their migrations through Europe....
I must, however, admit that there is something in the book that puts some shadow on the authors's intentions or something I could call "good taste". I do not want to spoil it for the future readers, so I will stay mute about it. I must only say, that at some places of the book author went into a kind of storytelling that leaves a taste of distaste to say the least. I hope she (Brooks) did not go there because of the need of XXI century mass readers ....
I will not write what I have in mind, though.
If you want to know, ask me (find my blog "sopekmir" via google and write there). I will tell you in private....
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- Jane Shepherd
- 27-04-2010
enthralling, a wonderful story
I normally choose thrillers by writers such as Lee Child, Thomas Perry etc but I was intrigued by the story of this novel so decided to try it out. I loved it, thought the author's way of telling the story with flashbacks linked to particular discoveries made by her book conservator character was really good. She made me feel I was there with her characters, living through some harrowing experiences which made me both uncomfortable for the tormented and angry at the tormentors and reminded me how hateful humans can be to those of different races or beliefs. The narrator was good overall, easy to listen to although some of the accents she gave certain characters were slightly irritating. People of the Book was a change of style for me and one that I am very glad I chose to listen to. It was a detective story about the origins of and journeys undertaken by this Jewish book and I was fascinated by the afterword which related how Geraldine Brooks came to write this story of the Sarajevo Haggadah, based on fact and how much help she had from all sorts of experts. Riveting.
8 people found this helpful
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- Mrs. REP
- 06-11-2010
Fascinating.
I loved this book, it was a fantastic listen.
3 people found this helpful
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- J
- 25-05-2010
Enjoyable and worthwhile listen.
I loved the mixture of fact and fiction with the time slips to show the possible journey of the book, linking the findings of the restorer to events in the books history. This book made me aware of the struggles of people when they are diplaced from their homeland. On occasions the accents grated but not enough to stop me listening.
3 people found this helpful
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- Irene
- 20-09-2016
Inspiring story
I really liked the intertwined stories. The intermittently shrill voice and absurd accented of the reader were somehow distracting
2 people found this helpful
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- PT
- 17-06-2016
Terrific story beautifully narrated.
If you want a book to charm, enthral and touch you emotionally then The People Of The Book is a must to listen to. The narration by Edwina Wren is so sensitive that she made me cry in several places and the story, at times harrowing but always riveting, is one that will stay with me and keep me thinking for a long time.
1 person found this helpful
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- Mark
- 16-03-2019
stunning
the author shows that moments in the lives of people that truly make a difference in the most evil historical times. I couldn't stop listening. it's so well researched, the author tells the stories of people not the facts of history. I'm ranting now but honestly, this is wonderful. it gets better as you dive in but it's a page turner, not a chore.
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- Raija Koli
- 17-02-2019
Great book
An fantastic story about a book’s journey through historical time and geographical space. Well read, too, but WHY the silly, annoying accents of non-English speakers who speak in their own language??? Very distracting.
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- Maurice
- 13-09-2018
An extraordinary story!
A wonderful story, and for this expatriate Aussie, brilliantly narrated - home thoughts from abroad
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- CudMum
- 02-09-2018
Great driving listening
The narrator is magical, wonderful pace and voices. Brilliant story and fascinating true background story.
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- Tami
- 09-01-2018
Absolutely enthralling
This is one of the best books I have read in a very long time...a must-read for anyone who enjoys adventure, history, romance and slice of life vinettes.
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