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The Librarian of Burned Books
The Librarian of Burned Books: A Novel | Brianna Labuskes
21 posts | 18 read | 29 to read
For fans of The Rose Code and The Paris Library, The Librarian of Burned Books is a captivating WWII-era novel about the intertwined fates of three women who believe in the power of books to triumph over the very darkest moments of war. Berlin 1933. Following the success of her debut novel, American writer Althea James receives an invitation from Joseph Goebbels himself to participate in a culture exchange program in Germany. For a girl from a small town in Maine, 1933 Berlin seems to be sparklingly cosmopolitan, blossoming in the midst of a great change with the charismatic new chancellor at the helm. Then Althea meets a beautiful woman who promises to show her the real Berlin, and soon she's drawn into a group of resisters who make her question everything she knows about her hosts--and herself. Paris 1936. She may have escaped Berlin for Paris, but Hannah Brecht discovers the City of Light is no refuge from the anti-Semitism and Nazi sympathizers she thought she left behind. Heartbroken and tormented by the role she played in the betrayal that destroyed her family, Hannah throws herself into her work at the German Library of Burned Books. Through the quiet power of books, she believes she can help counter the tide of fascism she sees rising across Europe and atone for her mistakes. But when a dear friend decides actions will speak louder than words, Hannah must decide what stories she is willing to live--or die--for. New York 1944. Since her husband Edward was killed fighting the Nazis, Vivian Childs has been waging her own war: preventing a powerful senator's attempts to censor the Armed Service Editions, portable paperbacks that are shipped by the millions to soldiers overseas. Viv knows just how much they mean to the men through the letters she receives--including the last one she got from Edward. She also knows the only way to win this battle is to counter the senator's propaganda with a story of her own--at the heart of which lies the reclusive and mysterious woman tending the American Library of Nazi-Banned Books in Brooklyn. As Viv unknowingly brings her censorship fight crashing into the secrets of the recent past, the fates of these three women will converge, changing all of them forever. Inspired by the true story of the Council of Books in Wartime--the WWII organization founded by booksellers, publishers, librarians, and authors to use books as "weapons in the war of ideas"--The Librarian of Burned Books is an unforgettable historical novel, a haunting love story, and a testament to the beauty, power, and goodness of the written word.
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Deblovestoread
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#TuesdayGiveaway

How fun! The tagged book is one I‘m very interested in reading but any book from my Litsy TBR would be lovely.

Thanks for hosting a giveaway. 💜

See Lisa‘s original post for entry info. @TheSpineView

TheSpineView Good luck 🤞 5mo
32 likes1 comment
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Julsmarshall
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My birthday #bookhaul from the cutest #indiebookstore in Pflugerville, Texas.

LeahBergen Happy Birthday! 📚❤️📚 8mo
Dilara Happy birthday! 8mo
Enchanted_Bibliophile Happy birthday 🎈🎂 8mo
dabbe HB! 💚💙💚 8mo
49 likes5 comments
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Purpleness
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Purpleness
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Purpleness
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AnnCrystal 📚💕🤩💝📚. 9mo
oddandbookish ❤️❤️❤️ 9mo
kspenmoll 💜❤️🩷 9mo
43 likes3 comments
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Purpleness
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kricheal
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Pickpick

Received this book from a co-worker. Told across three different timeliness that meet at the end. This has many quotable lines that are meant to reference Nazi Germany but it's very apt to many things in the news today.

Crazeedi I haven't been reading ww2 books lately, but I love books with "library" in title!! 10mo
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Jen2
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Pickpick

Good story.

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TheLudicReader
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dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 13mo
LeahBergen 😆😆 13mo
ShelleyBooksie Is that your classroom? Those bookshelves ♡♡♡♡ 13mo
TheLudicReader That is my classroom, @ShelleyBooksie but it‘s not all the shelves. 😂 13mo
ShelleyBooksie Your students are so fortunate! Ps - litsy love mail went out to ya today ♡ 13mo
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Lynnsoprano
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Wow! I am knocked over by this book. Set before and during WWII and including the Nazi book burning, this novel is a powerful statement about the importance of books and knowledge. Given the current climate of censorship, certainly in the state where I live, there were many parallels to be drawn.

There‘s more to the book; a compelling story of facing facts and how to forgive. Interesting characters, evocative settings. But the message of 👇

Lynnsoprano this book is going to stay with me for a long time. I never highlight in novels, but there were paragraphs that I feel I need to seer into my memory. Probably not to everyone‘s taste, but I loved it. 1y
Aims42 I agree with you 1000%! I took more pictures of passages from this book than any other book I‘ve read. The writing (and the very important message) is just *chef‘s kiss* 1y
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Lynnsoprano
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“The telegram regretfully informing Vivian Child‘s that her husband had died in battle arrived before his last letter.”

Just started this, but, given the efforts to ban books from schools and libraries here in Florida, it‘s already making some powerful statements.

#firstlineFridays

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Lynnsoprano
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Oh, help, I think I‘m in need of an intervention 😄 I have been on a book buying spree for my Kindle—as if it doesn‘t already contain enough unread books. I had another that I swore was going to be my next read, but this one pushed its way to the front of the pack.

Gabbymags123 Lol u r not the only one in this position…. Could have worse addictions!! 😍 1y
dabbe You are not alone. #kindlesolidarity 💙🖤🩵 1y
Lynnsoprano @Gabbymags123 @dabbe The advantage of Kindle books is that hubby has no idea how many there are🤣 1y
dabbe @Lynnsoprano You got it, sista! 🤣🤣🤣 1y
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kricheal
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Starting this next- this is a loan from a co-worker. Who has read it?

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MaggieCarr
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3:20am and I just finished this book. Coffee shall help me look alive in a few hours during my shift at work ...

Things I knew nothing about before reading this historical-fiction book...

-What The Armed Services Editions (ASEs) compact books shipped to military as moral boosters during WW2 were
-Who The Council On Books In Wartime and their role in fighting in for books, against censorship, and the losses and victories within the movement...

MaggieCarr ...
-How Governor Taft and Councilor Hitler and the degree in which censorship played in their rises to power

Packed full of mic-drop quotes, I'll be buying my own copy to mark up and denote very soon. Heck I'll likely make some into shirts out of some as censorship seems to continue.

Once I got my jaw off the ground from the shock of yet more I didn't know from history, I was engrossed in this book. Told from three perspectives...
2y
MaggieCarr ... in different places and times in history yet seamlessly woven together at the end it's what makes a wonderful time-slip. I'd be lying if I didn't own up to having a favorite in Vivian/Viv (New York 1944). 2y
jewright That sounds incredible. 2y
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MaggieCarr
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I was today years old when I learned of Taft and censorship in his leadership.

MonicaLoves2Read I was too 2y
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KristiAhlers
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Pickpick

Floofy wanted in on the book Pic but didn't want to commit to a full close-up. Anyhow this book was so incredibly good. Although another WWII set story this one follows three different women and their belief in the powers of books and reading. Truly an inspiring read.

ShelleyBooksie Oh Floofy ♡♡♡ 2y
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Aims42
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“The Librarian of Burned Books” by Brianna Labuskes is astonishing, eye-opening, fascinating and a definite page turner. I couldn‘t put it down and I had to keep post-its nearby for quotes because Brianna‘s writing was so spot on. Mark Twain hit the nail on the head when he said, “History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” And sadly, I agree.

Aims42 @Aimeesue Hell yeah 👏🙌👍 2y
kspenmoll Stacked! 2y
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ReadingisMyPassion
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Pickpick

I had never heard of the Council of Books in Wartime. This was an organization that was founded in WWII by booksellers, publishers, librarians, and authors to use books as “weapons in the war of ideas.“ The Council was responsible for shipping millions of books each month to soldiers serving overseas. Many of what we know as our classics were reprinted as slim Armed Services Editions for the troops.

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