Copyright 2023 Barbara Delinsky. In defiance of this edict, the Library workers deliver books to the homes of Jewish subscribers. "The Paris Library is a refreshing novel that celebrates libraries as cradles of community, especially when we need them the most. One character is a link in both, a French woman who emigrates at the wars end and spends the rest of her life in Montana. This 1954 classic by a precocious 18-year-old takes us to the sun-drenched Riviera, where lazy and selfish 17-year-old Ccile is holidaying with her widowed father and his latest girlfriend. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. 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. More importantly, Odile prevents Lily from ruining a good friendship with Mary Louise, a schoolmate, in a fit of jealousy. My novel, The Paris Library, tells the true tale of the international team of librarians who defied the Nazis in order to hand-deliver books to Jewish readers. LITERARY FICTION | I feel like there were so many other ways the author could have taken the story for why Odile ran away from Paris. For The Paris Library, I provide your book club with a brief summary, food ideas, and discussion questions in that order!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'bookclubbites_com-box-3','ezslot_6',132,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bookclubbites_com-box-3-0'); If you are a fan of WWII fiction, then you know that in the last few years there has been a boom of great historical novels from the time period that feature unique aspects of the war. His character traits changed so drastically from his introduction. How did you feel about a younger Lily contrasted with a more mature Odile? It shows how literature can be a means of escape, a catalyst for human connection, and a moral center in grim times. When she decides to write a report on France, she visits the only French person she knowsher lonely neighbor, Odile. [I think Paul is an interesting character and he illustrates some of the conflicted feelings Parisians felt about the Occupation. So we know that by the time we meet Odile in Montana, shes all alone. Site by AuthorBytes. She loves everything about books and libraries. Janet Skeslien Charles's latest novel, The Paris Library, introduces us to Frenchwoman Odile Souchet. As a graduate student in 1942, Eva was forced to flee Paris after the arrest of her father, a Polish Jew. Given her love of books and enchantment with the Dewey Decimal System, Odile seeks and secures a job at the American Library in Paris in the months before World War II. A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we arefamily, friends, and favorite authorsThe Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places. by Janet Skeslien Charles RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2021. Inevitably, Odiles story is more engrossing. Janet Skeslien Charles has penned an unforgettable novel that spans 60 years and several generations in the midst of historic turning points as dramatic as those we are living through now. What was the rippling impact of Remy joining the French Army? Based on historical events. Here are some more recommendations along with links to book club questions. The Paris Library is a historical fiction novel based on the true WWII story of the librarians at the American Library in Paris. Author Mallery has created a delightful story of friendship between three women that also offers a variety of love stories as they fall in love, make mistakes, and figure out how to be the bestalbeit still flawedversions of themselves. When the Nazis march into the city, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Or someone from Lilys timelineEleanor, Lilys mother, Mary Louise? Book Club Questions for American Pop by Snowden Wright, Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Did this surprise you? Stephanie I think you see a gradual change in Paul as the war dragged on. Their friendship blossoms as they help each other, offering support, hard truths, and loving backup. 2018 The Edge Communications Sdn. Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. The puzzle of those missing eleven days has persisted. Three woman who join together to rent a large space along the beach in Los Angeles for their storesa gift shop, a bakery, and a bookstorebecome fast friends as they each experience the highs, and lows, of love. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. But then the Nazis invade Paris and everything changes. It has been called a coming of age book, but in many regards, it is more. Its a city I truly love and reading this was a balm for my travel-deprived senses, reliving the City of Lights, even if it was in the pre-war years of the 1940s. Do you think it was harder for Odile to forgive herself than it was for Margaret to forgive her? The Synopsis Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. Why was it important for the librarians to continue to spread the love of reading during the war? Based on the true World War II story of the librarians at the American Library in Paris, The Paris Library is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together. She grows close to her neighbour Odile, discovering they share the same love of language, the same longings. Nonfiction books describing Late Stage/End Stage capitalism. Her conservative parents, especially her father, would rather Odile married than worked. Having learned the French language from Odile, Lily has become a Francophile and decides that she will head to the American Library upon her arrival. Her shorter work has appeared in revues such as Slice and Montana Noir. Is there anything new here? However, he forbids Jewish subscribers from entry. This role is especially crucial in the difficult conditions of occupied Paris, where food is increasingly scarce, and the arrest of Jewish citizens and enemy aliens is a constant threat. The voices just werent right. Over the next five years, through the Nazi Occupation of France, the ALP founded in 1920, it still stands today also becomes the main source of Odiles small joys. There are public reading rooms, an innovation in French reference libraries, but French people have never developed the habit of using public libraries. (See my struggle to find a recipe for The Nightingale here). One night in search of lost time. Her debut novel. I think you see a gradual change in Paul as the war dragged on. In a moment of anger, Odile reveals Margarets secret to Paul but immediately regrets doing so. Both are too quick to blurt out criticisms, jeopardizing their closest friendships out of hurt and jealousy. Odile often reminisces about food from France or makes dishes for Lily. Odile describes them to a dying American soldier she tends to: Theres an Englishman imagine a crane wearing a paisley bow tie. "well plotted and richly populated" For the young Parisian Odile Souchet in the winter of 1939, working in the American Library in Paris sounds like her ideal job. The Paris Library was unlike any of these. Review: The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles, Q&A with Kaira Rouda, Author of The Next Wife. Looming war with Germany? There are many wonderful things about this book, not the least being the settings, which are as well painted and written as the rest. Im always curious about what makes the New York Times bestsellers list. I do recommend The Paris Library, but the print version, please. An impromptu celebration on the beach at sunset with champagne becomes a weekly touchpoint to their lives as they learn more about each other and themselves. The readers added a drama that was, I thought, wrong. HISTORICAL FICTION | Surprisingly, its not little Froid, Montana, that ends up being a letdown, but rather the Nazi Occupation and the ALPs Resistance work. Charles once worked at the American Library in Paris as a programs manager and now divides her time between Paris and Montana. However, for The Paris Library, there was plenty of food mentioned, partly due to the fact that the story is dual-timeline. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Janet Skeslien Charles is an award-winning author with over a decade's worth of roaming the streets of Paris and researching in its libraries. When war is declared, the Library is determined to remain open. He felt guilty about what he'd done and took it out on Margaret. But the author has a clear affection for both Paris and the American Library, where she worked as a programs manager in 2010, and she integrates the stories of many of the real-life employees and patrons of the library into the story with finesse, earning the novel its own place in the pantheon of World War II fiction. Rmy is wounded in the early fighting and then in a prisoner-of-war camp, where he later perishes. Director, American Library. An awkward luncheon with a would-be suitor? Hope you enjoyed book club questions for The Paris Library! Paul and the other three policemen were collaborators themselves, having done the Nazis' dirty work, no matter how much they disliked it, and then having enjoyed the spoils of the belongings of the Jews they arrested. Profoundly influenced by her mothers disowning of beloved Aunt Carowho divorced for good reasonOdile is determined to not depend on men for financial security. History buffs will enjoy the many hints Walls sprinkles to show that Tudor England is her novels template (the Dukes marriage to his brothers widow; his banished daughter, Mary, and short-lived heir, Edward; the Kincaids counselor Cecil, etc.). In some ways, the story is your standard historical fiction story with the dual timelines (takes place both during the WWII era and also in the 80s in Montana). Her father refuses to help the Professor. Book Summary. The book in the photograph, an eighteenth-century religious text thought to have been taken from France in the waning days of the war, is one of the most fascinating cases. The records they keep inThe Book of Lost Nameswill become even more vital when the resistance cell they work for is betrayed and Rmy disappears. The author demonstrates that a woman can be strong and independent while in a loving relationship. When Paris is liberated, Paul and another police officer encounter Margaret on the street. Ask the Author. The story is told via two parallel narratives. I hope that you will download the book club reading guide. The friendship between the two has grown so strong that Odile wants Margaret to be her matron of honor when she marries Paul, who has proposed to her. Odile loves her job at the Library, where she finds belonging among kindred spirits. How Odile ends up in the US unfolds over the course of the book. How might Lilys life have been different without Odile? Because of this, I cant quite give it 5 stars. For more on this award-winning author, visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Janet-Skeslien-Charles/164282829. The novel is a dual timeline story and the second timeline follows Lily, a young girl in 1980s Montana who is now the neighbor of Odile Souchet. In 1983, Lily is an awkward teenager trying to find her place in small-town Montana. This post contains links to products that I may receive compensation from at no additional cost to you. Through her, we see how the war affected citizens of Paris and those who stayed through the Nazi occupation of France.The Paris Library, (Also, can we just stop and appreciate how beautiful the cover of this book is?). Agatha Christie novels have withstood the test of time, due in no small part to Christies masterful storytelling and clever mind that may never be matched, but Agatha Christies untold history offers perhaps her greatest mystery of all. Despite the fact that Nazis often destroyed art and literature, they seemed to recognize that learning and reading were still important enough to keep the library open. Bree is a friendly but standoffish bookstore owner who keeps everyone she knows at arms length, from guys she meets in bars to her friends. Why do you think Odile continued to wear the red belt 40 years later? In 1939, Odile Souchet, the daughter of the captain of a police precinct, has just finished library school. Few in Paris recognize the looming threat of war. And, of course, there was All the Light We Cannot See as well. In 1939, Odile's life is practically perfect. GENERAL FICTION, by Its free and takes less than 10 seconds! These are good times before the war, but when the Nazis invade Paris, everything changes for Odile and her family at home and at the library. It shows how literature can be a means of escape, a catalyst for human connection, and a moral center in grim times. And his French frienda walrus with a bushy mustache. Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. A little more drama would have made the Nazi horrorsand Odiles dilemmas--more vivid. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Well-researched, stirring, and rich with detail, THE PARIS LIBRARY is an ode to the importance of libraries, books, and the human connections we find within both. First Edition. What did you think? Odile Souchet is obsessed with books, and her new job at the American Library in Paris with its thriving community of students, writers and book lovers is a dream come true. Thats not to say that schoolgirl crushes and adjusting to the woman her father marries after her mother dies arent valid storylines, but can they really hold a candle to the Gestapo arresting one of Odiles best friends? While Odile develops a close friendship with Margaret, she also is envious of her lifestyle. When the women meet drooling over a boardwalk storefront that none of them can afford on her own, a plan is hatched to divide the space in three, and a friendshipand business partnershipis born. Eleven days later, she reappears, just as mysteriously as she disappeared, claiming amnesia and providing no explanations for her time away. Your email address will not be published. One night in search of lost time. There will be spoilers so for more context about the story, check out spoiler-free review first. One day in the City of Light. The tough test of time involves readers. Following Odile in her new job at the American Library in Paris, the novel offers a unique and refreshing take on the events of WWII, as seen through the lens of the library, its staff and subscribers. When Charles worked there in 2010, she was captivated by the story of. A charming, ruthless autocrat, feared yet beloved, he has three acknowledged children by three different wives (not to mention unacknowledged offspring). Instead, Odile consents to an interview for Lilys project about France. GENERAL FICTION, by Theyre all here, and theyre universal, nest-ce pas? Margaret eventually tells Odile the secret of her German lover. Atria Books. 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. As different as Odile and Lily are, the two are drawn to each other by their similarities outside of a love for books and reading, their heads are full of dreams and they possess a quick wit and instinctive understanding of their surroundings, but they also tend to jeopardise friendships because of their inability to hold their tongues. Even beyond the wartime drama, the ALP community, many of them true historical figures, are an engrossing, colourful coterie of regulars. Based on the true World War. Defining what is moral becomes complicated for Sallie. Discuss the dual timeline. In 1939, Odile Souchet, the daughter of the captain of a police precinct, has just finished library school. [I'm wondering about what happened to the character of Paul? Additionally, Odile motivates Lily to stand up for herself and insist on achieving her goal to attend college. Although Lily doesnt know it, Odile is about to kill herself when Lily knocks on her door the first time. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. Todays topic: Prousts madeleine, should it have been a croissant?, A post shared by Atria Books (@atriabooks). Book Club Questions for Undaunted by Kara Goldin, Book Club Questions for The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. It has been called a coming of age book, but in many regards, it is more. When the Nazis march into the city, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. I think he snapped more out of guilt than anything else. Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris Janet Skeslien Charles's The Paris Library is an unforgettable. You can read order the book on Amazon here. So here is another instance in which the narrators of an audiobook can affect the readers experience. Together, in ways they least expect it, Odile and Lily will help each other conquer old fears, forgive past sins, and embrace the future. Chapter 3 - Paul comes to lunch - aperitif of sherry and vermouth, potato-leek soup, pork roast and rosemary . Janet Skeslien Charles by When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. After roaming the streets of Paris, Odile gravitates to the American Hospital, where she once volunteered and does so again. Reeling from the loss of her mother and her father's remarriage, Lily finds herself adrift: overlooked at school, out of place at home. Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. Were glad you found a book that interests you! Now housed in Berlins Zentral- und Landesbibliothek library, it appears to contain some sort of code, but researchers dont know where it came fromor what the code means. While her brother Rmy supports her, Odile's Papa is convinced that she needs to focus on marriage. Hugo's friend. Margaret is eventually attacked by Paul and when Odile learns the truthshe leaves behind Paris forever to marry an American. The Paris setting was vividly imagined and beautifully wrought, especially the library, which is depicted as a warm, happy, safe and enlightened place. The Paris Library is another novel about WWII France from a unique perspective. In fact, her way of coping with strong emotions is to immediately relate her feelings to a book and its Dewey Decimal number. Jealousy? It is 1939, and Odile Souchet has just returned to Paris after completing library school. It is charming and moving, with a perfect balance between history and fiction., Tatiana de Rosnay, New York Times bestselling author of Sarah's Key, A fresh take on WWII France that will appeal to bibliophiles everywhere. Using her own life experiences, Odile guides Lily to accept her overprotective father and her stepmother, who is struggling with two baby boys. Here are a few food ideas from the pages of The Paris Library: If you are reading this during the fall or winter, I think it would be lovely to try and make the leek and potato soup that is mentioned more than once. I love to read and review various genres with a focus on contemporary fiction, historical fiction with some mysteries/thrillers and also select nonfiction and memoirs. As a result, Margarets husband leaves her and takes their daughter. 841. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Apartment building concierge. While the novel is filled with gorgeous settings and a delightful cast of characters some of whom actually existed in real life what I loved the most about The Paris Library is the way it celebrates the power of books, libraries and storytelling. If your book club is reading this one, check out my book club questions here. A Season in Hell by Rimbaud. Why do you think this was? The Paris Library: A Novel. The girls sounded bratty, the prose almost juvenile. Its an interesting tactic to connect the past with more of the present. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books.
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