The Lost Book of Bonn: A Novel

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For fans of The Rose Code and The Librarian Spy comes another literary themed historical novel from the author of The Librarian of Burned Books.

Germany, 1946: Emmy Clarke is a librarian not a soldier. But that doesnt stop the Library of Congress from sending her overseas to Germany to help the Monuments Men retrieve and catalog precious literature that was plundered by the Nazis. The Offenbach Archival Depot and its work may get less attention than returning art to its rightful owners, but for Emmy, who sees the personalized messages on the inside of the books and the notes in margins of pages, it feels just as important.

On Emmys first day at work, she finds a poetry collection by Rainer Maria Rilke, and on the title page is a handwritten dedication: To Annelise, my brave Edelweiss Pirate. Emmy is instantly intrigued by the story behind the dedication and becomes determined to figure out what happened.

The hunt for the rightful owner of the book leads Emmy to two sisters, a horrific betrayal, and an extraordinary protest against the Nazis that was held in Berlin at the height of the war. Nearly a decade earlier, hundreds of brave women gathered in the streets after their Jewish husbands were detained by the Gestapo. Through freezing rain and RAF bombings, the women faced down certain death and did what so few others dared to do under the Third Reich. They said no.

Emmy grapples with her own ghosts as she begins to wonder if shes just chasing two more. What she finds instead is a powerful story of love, forgiveness, and courage that brings light to even the darkest of postwar days.

Reviews

As Labuskes weaves perspectives together, she not only highlights the pain of censorship, suppression, and dehumanization but also issues a stark reminder that history repeats itself. At the same time, she plants seeds of hope in her characters refusal to let the stories that should bring us together be silenced. Booklist(starred review) on The Librarian of Burned Books In her excellent debut novel, Brianna Labuskes writes lovingly of the power of books, libraries, and friendship to sustain us in difficult times, while also offering a stark, unmistakably relevant warning about the dangers of censorship. Fans of historical fiction featuring courageous women will savor The Librarian of Burned Books. Jennifer Chiaverini, author of Resistance Women Terrific research buttresses strong writing that will keep readers riveted. Library Journal on The Librarian of Burned Books Each of the main characters is clearly drawn and sympathetic, the plot kept me awake turning pages far into the night, and the well-earned resolution was poignant and emotional. The depiction of lesbian romance felt authentic and respectful. This novel is a timely reminder that the burning or banning of books is the first step in an escalating war on freedom of thought and expression that can have devastating consequences. The women in this novel develop the strength to overcome fear, doubt, and trepidation to resist censorship and hate each in her own way.... An entertaining and riveting read. Kim van Alkemade, New York Times bestselling author, on The Librarian of Burned Books Ive always believed that the most memorable historical novels are those that, by shining a light on the past, show us a better way forward into the future. Brianna Labuskes's masterful debut is one such novel. Alternating between time periods, and armed with three richly drawn characters, Labuskes unfurls a story of censorship and fear in 1930s Germany and of hope and grit in 1944 New York. A propulsive, immersive, expertly crafted debut that reminds us of the perils of censorship, the power of books, and the duty we all have to stand up for the freedoms we hold dear. Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author, on The Librarian of Burned Books "Inspired by the fascinating real story of a little-known World War II-era group of librarians, authors, publishers, and booksellers who united to fight fascism with literature, The Librarian of Burned Books is a thoroughly engrossing page-turner that proves how powerful words and ideas can be, no matter the era. Filled with intrigue and secrets, this timely novel follows three women from Berlin to Paris to New York City to right past wrongs using books as their weapon of choice." Elise Hooper, author of Angels of the Pacific, on The Librarian of Burned Books

Author Bio

Brianna Labuskes is the Washington Post bestselling author of five thrillers. For the first decade of her career, Brianna worked as a journalist for national news organizations covering politics and policy. Visit her at www.briannalabuskes.com.