The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

Fascinating narrative describing the brave existence of the American Library of Paris during the Nazi occupation of Paris during World War 2. A diminished staff, as many of foreign origin, were forced to return to their home countries, worked hard to provide continued library service to their subscribers, including those who were Jewish and were no longer allowed access. Delivering books to those forbidden access was a dangerous act of resistance to the German occupiers. Horrible letters of denunciation by anonymous Parisians provided a revealing flavor of the bigoted greed that so often emerges during wartime and military occupation. A Jewish subscriber would be outed and arrested only to have their residence soon occupied by a collaborator. The main character is a young French librarian and reveals her story unfolding both in Paris during the war, and also as an older woman, now living in America. The author provides a note, detailing her research and also providing some follow-up to the lives of some of the significant individuals associated with the library. Wonderful historical fiction that is both informative and poignant. the definite article More (Definitions, Synonyms, Translation)