The Paris Library

A Novel

De: Janet Skeslien Charles

Narrado por: Nicky Diss, Sarah Feathers, Esther Wane, Janet Skeslien Charles

An instant New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today best seller—based on the true story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris during World War II—The Paris Library is a moving and unforgettable “ode to the importance of libraries, books, and the human connections we find within both” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times best-selling author).

Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet seems to have the perfect life with her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into the city, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

“A love letter to Paris, the power of books, and the beauty of intergenerational friendship” (Booklist), The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest places.

©2021 Janet Skeslien Charles. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lest we forget....

Very interesting. I normally avoid Holocaust books, because I don’t need/ want to feel sad right now. This book had so many layers of personalities, relationships and motivations to absorb that, though the setting/backdrop was tragic, the story kept me engaged. I found the characters to be believable. The narrators were great!!!

History and Unforgettable Characters

At the end of the book we are reminded of our privilege to live without hatred and always treat people with respect as the visitors to the American Library were treated.

Not your typical WWII story

actually 2 stories, going back and forth; it was more the story of the young librarian at the American Library in Paris and a coming of age story set in modern Wyoming. The narration on the audio made the story feel real, and the fact review by the author at the end was interesting.

A Gem of a Read

Wonderful characters, so many different scenarios to visualize a different type of Paris during the Occupation.
Loved how the older generation guided a new generation into adulthood by remembering her own principles and mistakes she had made. So glad to have "read" this lovely tale.

An Extremely Important Book for Lovers of Literature

I thoroughly enjoyed this book about the role of The American Library that stayed open all during World War II despite great danger and hardship on the part of the librarians and assistants. It was an important piece of history I hadn’t known about. As a staunch believer in the power of both spoken and written language, I feel that cultures need books more than ever. Learning about others different from ourselves creates empathy, understanding and tolerance.

Thoughts

Good story! Loved Miss Rita and her quotes about the importance of libraries! Loved the Dewey references.
The voice of Lily was too old and formal for a teenager, but the others were good, especially the ones from Paris.

World war story

It was an okay story. I felt like it started off exciting but just kind of fell flat by the end.

Loved reading this while in Paris

This is a fantastic novel with a compelling storyline and modern day relevance. If we don’t learn from the past we are doomed to repeat it. I happened to read this while visiting Paris and it was awesome to know exactly the locations she referenced because I was just there or would be that week. Great vacation idea to bring a book set in that locale!

The characters

Very enjoyable, loved the characters. They were well developed. This bit of history was new to me, found it very interesting

Loved the careful weaving of WW2 History

Really a good book and so enlightening as to the WW2 realities. The 1980’s references were also very well thought out and relatable.