Suggesed author

One of my new favorite authors is Geraldine Brooks. First I read her historical novel March, the story of Jane Austin's Little Women's father. Civil War soldier, loving husband and father, Mr. March's experience is vivid and lively. There's a lot of good Civil War history in there, too. Highly recommended.

Following that I read her People of the Book. This story traces the history of an ancient Haggadah, introduced by the archivist hired to stabilize and prepare the book for exhibit. Through traces she finds in the binding (a dehydrated butterfly wing, piece of string, small indentation, etc) , her curiousity is aroused, and we, the readers, learn how those traces and bits actually record the history of where the book has been over the centuries and how it came to be saved during the Inquisition, when so many Jewish codexes were burned. As a Special Collections librarian, I naturally am interested in archival stories, but I think this books appeal is far wider than that, because the story is so well presented.

I look forward to reading her earlier novel, Years of Wonder. The context is the great Plague, but somehow I think I'll enjoy it anyway.