Janet Skeslien Charles

An instant New York Times, Washington Post, and USA TODAY bestseller—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 bestselling 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 Libraryshows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest places.

A Novel

The Paris Library

La biblioteca di Parigi

Una historia de valentía y traición basada en las vicisitudes de los trabajadores de la Biblioteca Americana de París en la Segunda Guerra Mundial. París, 1939. La joven Odile Souchet lo tiene todo: un atractivo novio oficial de policía y un trabajo de ensueño en la Biblioteca Americana de París. Pero cuando estalla la guerra y los nazis marchan sobre París, Odile se expone a perder todo lo que le importa, incluida su querida biblioteca. Sabe que en los momentos difíciles los templos de la cultura peligran porque los libros contienen palabras e ideas prohibidas que deben destruirse. Odile no puede permitir que eso suceda: debe salvar esas páginas, de modo que puedan nutrir la mente de quien llegue después. Junto con sus compañeros, se une a la Resistencia y pone el centro a disposición de los judíos: expulsados de sus casas, tras los libros se sienten seguros, y Odile los defenderá cueste lo que cueste. La crítica ha dicho: «La biblioteca de París es una novela fresca y emocionante que celebra el papel de las bibliotecas como núcleos de comunidad, especialmente cuando las más necesitamos. Nos muestra que la literatura puede ser una vía de escape, un catalizador para la conexión humana y una brújula moral en tiempos oscuros. Una lectura sumamente agradable, con mucho corazón,y rebosante de referencias que harán las delicias de los aficionados a los libros». Matthew Sullivan, autor de Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore «Una carta de amor a París, al poder de los libros y a la belleza de las amistades intergeneracionales». Booklist «Un libro encantandor, rico en detalles... los lectores de literatura histórica se verán atrapados por el realismo de la narración y la amistad que se forja entre una viuda y una joven solitaria». Publisher's Weekly

La biblioteca de París

The New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the “captivating, richly drawn” (Woman’s World) The Paris Library returns with a brilliant new novel based on the true story of Jessie Carson—the American librarian who changed the literary landscape of France. 1918: As the Great War rages, Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France. Founded by millionaire Anne Morgan, this group of international women help rebuild devastated French communities just miles from the front. Upon arrival, Jessie strives to establish something that the French have never seen—children’s libraries. She turns ambulances into bookmobiles and trains the first French female librarians. Then she disappears. 1987: When NYPL librarian and aspiring writer Wendy Peterson stumbles across a passing reference to Jessie Carson in the archives, she becomes consumed with learning her fate. In her obsessive research, she discovers that she and the elusive librarian have more in common than their work at New York’s famed library, but she has no idea their paths will converge in surprising ways across time.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian meets Desperate Housewives in this exploration of the booming business of Russian e-mail-order brides, an industry where love and marriage collide with sex and commerce. Odessa, Ukraine, is the humor capital of the former Soviet Union, but in an upside-down world where waiters earn more than doctors and Odessans depend on the Mafia for basics like phone service and medical supplies, no one is laughing. After months of job hunting, Daria, a young engineer, finds a plum position at a foreign firm as a secretary. But every plum has a pit. In this case, it's Mr. Harmon, who makes it clear that sleeping with him is job one. Daria evades Harmon's advances by recruiting her neighbor, the slippery Olga, to be his mistress. But soon Olga sets her sights on Daria's job. Daria begins to moonlight as an interpreter at Soviet Unions(TM), a matchmaking agency that organizes "socials" where lonely American men can meet desperate Odessan women. Her grandmother wants Daria to leave Ukraine for good and pushes her to marry one of the men she meets, but Daria already has feelings for a local. She must choose between her world and America, between Vlad, a sexy, irresponsible mobster, and Tristan, a teacher nearly twice her age. Daria chooses security and America. Only it's not exactly what she thought it would be... A wry, tender, and darkly funny look at marriage, the desires we don't acknowledge, and the aftermath of communism, Moonlight in Odessa is a novel about the choices and sacrifices that people make in the pursuit of love and stability.

Moonlight in Odessa

roman

De bibliotheek van Parijs

A Biblioteca de Paris

Paris Library (Export)

Romantický příběh odehrávající se částečně ve válečné Francii a za studené války v 90. letech 20. století v americké Montaně. Příběh zavádí čtenáře skrze životní osudy Odile Souchetové do Paříže konce 30. let a nelehké doby nacistické okupace a následně do Montany na sklonku studené války, kde se prolíná s životem Lily, dívky z amerického maloměsta. Obě ženy spojí láska ke knihám, čtení a francouzštině, které jsou nejen klíčem k jejich podivuhodnému přátelství, ale i k celému románu. Ani jedna z nich z počátku netuší, že mají společného mnohem víc, než se na první pohled zdá. Nakladatelská anotace. Kráceno.

Pařížská knihovna

Biblioteca din Paris

Roman

Eine Bibliothek in Paris

AS READ ON BBC RADIO FOUR WINNER OF THE MELISSA NATHAN AWARD FOR COMEDY ROMANCE A tragicomic look at the flourishing market for e-mail order brides, Moonlight in Odessais a novel about the choices and sacrifices that people make in pursuit of love and stability, and the lengths that we will go to to help - and hinder - each other in search of a happy ending. Odessa, Ukraine, is the humour capital of the former Soviet Union, but with prices rising and employment prospects falling, there is little for Odessans to laugh about. After months of searching, Daria, twenty-three and armed with an engineering degree and perfect English, is offered a plum job as a secretary at a foreign company. But there's a stone in every plum, and in this case it's her new boss Mr. Harmon, who makes it clear that sleeping with him should be the first item on her to-do list. Loath to give up her newfound perks (the taste of real coffee, a new apartment and a salary she and her grandmother can actually live on), Daria manages to evade Harmon's advances by recruiting her neighbour, the slippery Olga, to be his mistress - a plan that ends up working only too well… And so Daria finds herself moonlighting as an interpreter at Soviet Unions™, a dating agency specializing in finding gorgeous Odessan brides for lonely Americans. Daria - so adept at spotting the cracks in the relationships she facilitates - soon discovers that she is not immune to the temptations of the American dream herself. An email correspondence with an apparently shy and sensitive American teacher who offers her a new life in San Francisco, leaves her facing a choice between her beloved city - not to mention the attentions of Vlad, a worryingly attractive mafia gangster - and her long-dreamt-of escape to the land of the free.

Paris, 1939. Odile Souchet is obsessed with books, and her new job at the American Library in Paris is a dream come true. When war is declared, the Library is determined to remain open. But then the Nazis invade Paris, and everything changes. In Occupied Paris, choices as black and white as the words on a page become a murky shade of grey - choices that will put many on the wrong side of history, and the consequences of which will echo for decades to come. Montana, 1983. Lily is a lonely teenager desperate to escape small-town Montana. She grows close to her neighbour Odile, discovering they share the same love of language, the same longings. But as Lily uncovers more about Odile's mysterious past, she discovers a dark secret, closely guarded and long hidden.

"Paris, 1939. Young, ambitious, and tempestuous, Odile Souchet has it all: Paul, her handsome police officer beau; Margaret, her best friend from England; her adored twin brother Remy; and a dream job at the American Library in Paris, working alongside the library's legendary director, Dorothy Reeder. But when World War II breaks out, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear - including her beloved library. After the invasion, as the Nazis declare a war on words and darkness falls over the City of Light, Odile and her fellow librarians join the Resistance with the best weapons they have: books. They risk their lives again and again to help their fellow Jewish readers. When the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal. Montana, 1983. Odile's solitary existence in gossipy small-town Montana is unexpectedly interrupted by Lily, her neighbor, a lonely teenager longing for adventure. As Lily uncovers more about Odile's mysterious past, they find they share a love of language, the same longings, the same lethal jealousy. Odile helps Lily navigate the troubled waters of adolescence by always recommending just the right book at the right time, never suspecting that Lily will be the one to help her reckon with her own terrible secret. Based on the true story of the American Library in Paris, The Paris Library explores the geography of resentment, the consequences of terrible choices made, and how extraordinary heroism can be found in the quietest of places"--

роман

Библиотека в Париже

A tale inspired by the Russian mail-order bride industry finds young engineer Daria landing a secretary job at a foreign firm and redirecting her licentious boss toward a more willing mistress before taking work with a matchmaking agency, through which she meets an American teacher who fails to attract her as strongly as an irresponsible mobster. Includes reading-group guide. Reprint.

Bücher sind das Licht in der Dunkelheit, der Hoffnungsschimmer in der Not ... Montana, 1983. Auf der Suche nach Abenteuern lernt die zwölfjährige Lily ihre Nachbarin Odile kennen. Zwischen dem Teenager und der alten Dame entwickelt sich eine zarte Freundschaft. Doch als Lily mehr über die Vergangenheit Odiles herausfindet, stellt sie fest, dass diese unter einem tragischen Geheimnis leidet ... Paris, 1939. Für Odile geht ein Traum in Erfüllung: Sie hat eine Anstellung an der renommierten Amerikanischen Bibliothek in Paris erhalten. Große literarische Werke in Händen halten und dabei den Duft alter Buchseiten einatmen – etwas Schöneres kann sich die Französin nicht vorstellen. Als die Nazis jedoch in Paris einmarschieren, droht Odile alles zu verlieren, was ihr lieb ist. Auch ihre Bibliothek. Gemeinsam mit einigen Mitarbeitern schließt sie sich dem Widerstand an und kämpft mit den besten Waffen, die ihr zu Verfügung stehen: Büchern. Doch dann unterläuft Odile ein fataler Fehler ... Inspiriert von der realen Geschichte der Pariser Bibliothekare, die während des Zweiten Weltkriegs ihr Leben riskierten – mit Zusatzmaterial zum wahrend Hintergrund im Buch!

«Un inno d’amore a Parigi, al potere dei libri e alla forza dell’amicizia.» The Booklist «Janet Skeslien Charles voleva raccontare un'epoca senza mai volgere lo sguardo da una biblioteca eccezionale, l'American Library di Parigi. Ci è riuscita perfettamente. » Il Manifesto - Andrea Colombo «Conteso in tutto il mondo, venduto in oltre venti paesi dopo aste agguerrite. Il libro che si preannuncia essere il caso editoriale dell’anno.» Publishers Weekly «Una vicenda di amore, coraggio, devozione. » La Lettura - Corriere della Sera - Jessica Chia «Il romanzo voluto da tutti gli editori internazionali. Una lettera d’amore che ci ricorda che dobbiamo proteggere e amare ciò che abbiamo.» The Bookseller «Il libro più desiderato degli ultimi anni.» The Guardian «Un romanzo denso e prezioso. Ci insegna che i libri sono luce nell’oscurità, salvezza nel pericolo, ossigeno in apnea. » Il Venerdì - la Repubblica - Francesca De Sanctis Nessuno può far tacere i libri. Parigi, 1940. I libri sono la luce. Odile non riesce a distogliere lo sguardo dalle parole che campeggiano sulla facciata della biblioteca e che racchiudono tutto quello in cui crede. Finalmente ha realizzato il suo sogno. Finalmente ha trovato lavoro in uno dei luoghi più antichi e prestigiosi del mondo. In quelle sale hanno camminato Edith Wharton ed Ernest Hemingway. Vi è custodita la letteratura mondiale. Quel motto, però, le suscita anche preoccupazione. Perché una nuova guerra è scoppiata. Perché l’invasione nazista non è più un timore, ma una certezza. Odile sa che nei momenti difficili i templi della cultura sono i primi a essere in pericolo: è lì che i nemici credono che si annidi la ribellione, la disobbedienza, la resistenza. Nei libri ci sono parole e concetti proibiti. E devono essere distrutti. Odile non può permettere che questo accada. Deve salvare quelle pagine, in modo che possano nutrire la mente di chi verrà dopo di lei, come già hanno fatto con la sua. E non solo. La biblioteca è il primo luogo in cui gli ebrei della città provano a nascondersi: cacciati dalle loro case, tra i libri si sentono al sicuro, e Odile vuole difenderli a ogni costo. Anche se questo significa macchiarsi di una colpa che le stritola il cuore. Una colpa che solo lei conosce. Un segreto che, dopo molto tempo, consegna nelle mani della giovane Lily, perché possa capire il peso delle sue scelte e non dimentichi mai il potere dei libri: luce nelle tenebre, spiraglio di speranza nelle avversità. La biblioteca di Parigi è, per la stampa di tutto il mondo, il romanzo più atteso dell’anno. Il libro più venduto alla Fiera di Francoforte esce in oltre venti paesi in occasione del centenario della fondazione della Biblioteca americana di Parigi. Una storia unica in cui tre ingredienti si mescolano alla perfezione: la resistenza durante l’occupazione nazista, il fascino intramontabile di Parigi e la magia dei libri che devono essere sempre salvati e protetti da ogni male.

Daria tiene 23 aNos, un tItulo en ingenierIa y un perfecto dominio del idioma inglEs. Pero en Ucrania, esto no es suficiente para mantener un buen trabajo. Daria se ve obligada a desempeNarse como traductora en una agencia matrimonial por internet, en la que solitarios estadounidenses buscan a las desesperadas mujeres de Odessa. Su abuela quiere que ella tambiEn se case con algun candidato y huya de la ciudad. Fantaseando con el sueNo americano, la joven debe decidir entre el amor por su tierra y la apuesta por una nueva vida en otro continente, junto a Tristan, un profesor que la dobla en edad. Optando por la seguridad que le ofrece Estados Unidos -su imaginaria tierra prometida-, Daria parte hacia su nueva vida. Pero no todo serA como lo habIa imaginado y, en una nacion lejana y dentro de un incierto matrimonio, la joven se pregunta hasta donde estA dispuesta a llegar para lograr el tan ansiado sueNo americano.

Janet Skeslien Charles

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