by Geraldine Brooks
Hundreds of years of chaotic journeys of the illustrated Sarajevo Haggadah, a Passover Jewish prayer book, thought to have been perished during the war in Sarajevo, are described in this story. The book that originates in 15th century Spain, passes through years of war and Jewish persecution. Its travels tell of a debate between a rabbi and priest in a Venice’s Ghetto, living under the threat of the Inquisition, rising Anti-Semitism in 19th century Vienna, the experiences of a girl in a harem, escaping from Nazis in Sarajevo, and more. The book is saved from destruction by people of all faiths. It moves from the present to the past. In the present is Hannah, an Australian rare book conservator who through missing pieces and tiny objects found on the Haggadah, unearths its past. Hanna’s life and relationships are revealed throughout the story.

As with Sara’s Key, I find myself focusing always on the history and putting aside the present. What I enjoy the most are the little stories and characters that reveal so much about the past. I loved this book and I esteem Geraldine Brooks for offering respect to people of all religions in spite of the turmoil between them.

 by Geraldine brooks
The Plague is the 17th century bubonic plague that ravages a small village in England. Anna, a very young widow helps the dying while losing her own children to the disease. All the while, she is encountering the superstition, the accusations, the madness and violence befalling her small community as the population dwindles and more villagers cannot face the horrible consequences of the plague. She befriends the rector and his wife who urge the inhabitants not to leave their homes but to isolate their village and prevent the further spread of the illness. The author does not dwell only on the extreme suffering and the customs of the era but also on the emotional price paid by Anna who loses dear ones but questions religion and the ethical behavior of those around her. She discovers that the rector who preaches the bible is a selfish, self-righteous man who holds himself better than others. What I loved about the book is its unexpected ending. Anna finds her peace by escaping when the plague stops and disconnecting herself from her past by living among Moslems. Her benefactor is an Arab doctor who knows more about medicine than many of his counterparts in England.  Though her new sourrounding discriminates women, Anna finds solace in assisting in the healing of others who do not probe into her previous life.