People of the Book

People of the Book (Geraldine Brooks, 2008)

How I stumbled upon it: I bought it in a used bookstore in Nashville two years ago.

What it's about: The Sarajevo Haggadah is an incredibly preserved real-life Hebrew manuscript from the 1300s (read more here!) who’s colorful history comes to life in Geraldine Book’s novel.  The book traces the Haggadah through the years from the Crusades, to Spain and Italy, to underneath the floorboards of a mosque where it was hidden from the Nazis during WWII, to present day, when an Australian rare-book expert is hired to inspect the manuscript.  The story of Hanna and her restoration are fiction, but they are based on the true path of the haggadah.

What I thought: How am I ten years late to this party?  This book was exceptional--from the way that it was written to the compelling plot.  I flew through the entire book in two days on the road. I would highly recommend, especially if you like historical fiction--the plot is captivating + inspiring.

You can get it here.