Page 21 - October 2023 e-Magazine
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Book Suggestion
By Harry Boardman
October 2023
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
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.
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