The Paris Library, Janet Skeslien Charles
The Paris Library, Janet Skeslien Charles
44 Rating(s)
List: $26.99 | Sale: $18.89
Club: $13.49

The Paris Library

Bestseller

Author: Janet Skeslien Charles

Narrator: Nicky Diss, Sarah Feathers, Esther Wane, Janet Skeslien Charles

Unabridged: 12 hr 9 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/09/2021


Synopsis

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 Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest places.

About Janet Skeslien Charles

Janet Skeslien Charles is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Paris Library. Her work has been translated into thirty-seven languages. She has spent a decade researching Jessie Carson (Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade) at The Morgan Library, the NYPL, and archives across France. Her shorter work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, LitHub, and the anthology Montana Noir. To connect, visit her website JSkeslienCharles.com, @JSkeslienCharles on Instagram, or @SkeslienCharles on Twitter.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Angela M on October 01, 2020

I thought this would be a relevant one to read during Banned Book Week, and it was, but it’s about more than banned books. It’s about people affected by the Nazi occupation of France, how the Librarians and other staff at the American Library of Paris tried to save some of their patrons as well as p......more

Goodreads review by Miranda on April 14, 2021

100 days into 2021 and 100 books have been read. Check out my latest BookTube Video to see which ones are my fave!The Written ReviewI loved Paris, a city with secrets. Like book covers, some leather, some cloth, each Parisian door led to an unexpected world.We follow Odile Souchet......more

Goodreads review by Christine on February 12, 2021

Though I am starting to back off on historical novels set during WWII, I picked this book as it appeared to offer something different. The story has dual timelines with our protagonist, Odile, heavily featured in both. During WWII, Odile works at the American Library in Paris (a real institution). T......more


Quotes

"Three narrators present a little-known story about the American Library in Paris during the Nazi occupation. The two main characters are a precocious preteen named Lily, who lives in Montana in 1983, and a librarian named Odile, who lives in Paris in 1939. Narrator Nicky Diss presents a sunny, high-spirited Lily, who is passionate about books and in love with the Dewey Decimal System. Narrator Sarah Feathers offers an understated yet substantial portrait of Odile, who reveals how she and library staffers tried to save the ALP by defying the Nazis—and suffered the consequences. When the war bride and the teenager meet in Montana, their mutual love of books unites them. Narrator Esther Wane deftly handles the third-person chapters."

“In 1979 Montana, pre-teen Lily is curious about her neighbor, the mysterious Odile Gustofson. All Lily knows is that Odile lived in Paris during WWII and that she still speaks with a captivating French accent. In an attempt to get to know her, Lily decides to interview Odile for a school project that leads to French lessons and a life-saving friendship. In chapters alternating between 1939 Paris and 1970s Montana, Odile’s past is revealed. As a young woman, Odile worked as a librarian at the American Library in Paris. Her love of books and libraries shines through the dialogue read by Sarah Feathers in a charming French accent. Reader Nicky Diss picks up Lily’s narrative, giving her a youthful American sound that contrasts with Feathers’ tones. She handles the older Odile’s French words with ease. Esther Wane fills in assorted characters’ chapters, sounding appropriately English, and the author reads the historical notes at the end of the recording. This is a wonderful story of the occupation, friendships across the years, and the power of books, all beautifully read. Listeners with a fondness for libraries, French language, or fine historical fiction will be enchanted.”