The Printed Page

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

Nothing in my mailbox this week. The respite is nice as it will give me some time to start making a dent in the piles.

Many of you expressed interest in Shanghai Girls by Lisa See which was in my mailbox last week. After I finish By the Chapter which will take up my reading this week I plan to read not only Shanghai Girls but Peony in Love by the same author. I absolutely loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. If you’ve not had a chance to read Snow Flower I highly recommend it. I hope to finish both books before leaving for Las Vegas and NASCAR racing at the end of the month.

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What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to leave a link to your Mailbox post or a list of books if you don’t have a blog.

This week’s By the Chapter featured book is  The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fforde

Sharing hosting duties with me is Jeanne from Necromancy Never Pays

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This week’s reading scheduling: Monday: The Printed Page Tuesday: Jeanne from Necromancy Never Pays Wednesday: The Printed Page Thursday: Jeanne from Necromancy Never Pays Friday: The Printed Page/Jeanne from Necromancy Never Pays

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If you’ve read, or are currently reading, The Eyre Affair please stop by and share your thoughts with us.

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Recently I had the pleasure of reading Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. I’d like to thank Ms. de Rosany for taking time from her busy writing schedule to stop by The Printed Page. ***

The most amazing aspect about a novel being published in several countries is the feedback from all these different readers. I used to be published only in France. Things changed with “Sarah’s Key” which has been printed in 25 countries so far and more to come. I can’t describe how thrilling it is to open your computer and read messages from all around the world. Most readers write to me in English, sometimes in their native tongue, and I answer back in English, except for my French readers.

Getting all these emails means taking time to answer them. I answer each email in a personal way, and this can take up to an hour a day. Another surprise is getting mails from teenagers. The most prolific ones are from Italy, France, Germany and the USA. (I have two teenagers myself and reading is not their thing, alas.) My youngest readers are barely 11 or 12, with a big chunk of 13/14 year olds, both girls and boys. I chat with them on MSN, they’re from Martinique, Berlin, Chicago, Lille, Tours, Brest… I also get many messages from older people who have gone through the traumas of the war and who want to share their souvenirs with me. I am sent photos, old black and white portraits, copies of letters written 65 years ago, documents concerning the Occupation. All this paperwork I know I will treasure for a life time. I thought at first that the emails would slowly stop, but every day brings a new lot in. I even got one from Poland this morning. In broken English. Thanking me for writing this book.

The vast majority of my readers are convinced I am Julia Jarmond, Sarah’s Key’s heroine. However, I am not American, but half French, half English, I am not married to Bertrand Tézac, (thank God ! but to a marvelous man called Nicolas), I do not have a daughter called Zoë (but a son named Louis and a daughter named Charlotte, ), I am not a blue eyed blonde and I speak fluent French being French. Julia Jarmond was based on three American girlfriends married to Frenchmen and who have been living in Paris for the past 25 years. Yes, they still have accents. I chose the name Julia because my best friend is called that, (she’s American too, but she lives in London) and Jarmond because I thought it sounded good with Julia. The only thing I have in common with “JJ” is that we are the same age and she is a journalist as well. C’est tout ! Oh, and she hangs out at Le Select, on boulevard Montparnasse, like me.

Another pleasurable surprise was touring France with Sarah’s Key. Yes, I’m half French, but I have to admit I only know parts of my native country. Last year, Sarah took me to Lille, Limoges, Montaigu near Nantes, Saint Louis near Basel, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Pau, Metz, Nice, Rennes, Brest, Marseille, the Loire valley, Fuveau near Aix en Provence, Besançon, Nancy, Saint Etienne, Colmar, Strasbourg… I fell in love with France all over again! We Parisians are blasé. We tend to see Paris as the center of the universe. And how wrong we are. Bordeaux is a silver splendor, Pau took my breath away with its Basque architecture overlooking the Pyrenees, Metz’s gothic cathedral is not to be missed, nor is Strasbourg’s, the vieux Nice uncannily resembles an Italian village, the Medieval heart of Montpellier is beautiful, Provence weaves a sunny spell it’s hard to resist. …Douce France, comme tu es belle!

Many of my readers want to know what my writing schedule is. First I start on a little note book, with my horrid scribbled handwriting that nobody can read. When I get to the end of that little note book (a small Moleskine format) it has usually taken me about a month. I then copy and edit the entire text on to the computer…Then the computer takes on from there, I don’t go back to paper.

My main problem is combining my writing with my job and my family. Virginia Woolf was right, you need a room of your own, which I actually don’t have. I used to share a small office at my publisher’s, and that worked well for a while, but the muse in that place fizzled out. Another thing that puts me off is noise : music, TV, talk, phones ringing. So, the “wee hours” are sometimes useful. I can’t stand it if a door is opened behind me and someone walks in as I’m writing. I like to have a window in front of me, not a blank wall. I try to write my book every day, even on weekends, (but this upsets my family, so I try not to). I drink tea while I write and when the tea gets cold, I make another pot. I read out loud from my book and sometimes cringe. I get back to work till I don’t cringe at the next reading. I can’t listen to music while I write. I admire writers who are able to do this. When I get stuck somewhere in my book, I come back to it later and write something else, an article, a blog post, an email, a short story. A poem ? Nope, haven’t written a poem since the 80′s. Thank God.

Tatiana de Rosnay Author of Sarah’s Key (Saint Martin’s Press) Tatiana de Rosnay

Welcome to By the Chapter. The featured book is Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. I’d like to thank Dar from Peeking Between the Pages for sharing hosting duties with me this week. *** If you’re not familiar with Sarah’s Key here’s a little background on the book from St. Martin’s Press: Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup (I included this Wikipedia link), but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family’s apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France’s past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d’Hiv’, to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah’s past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life. *** This book is a work of fiction based on true events. This story is told from two viewpoints – Sarah’s and Julia’s. Chapters are very short and alternate between 1942 and 2002 for the first two-thirds of the book. Once most of Sarah’s story is complete the book then moves to 2002 and later to 2005 focusing mostly on Julia’s personal life and her completion of Sarah’s journey. *** Overall I give this book very high marks. It’s very powerful and emotionally moving. It tugs at your heartstrings and shatters you. I also felt moments of rage and anger. There were passages and pages that left me in disbelief and bewilderment. It was uncomfortable subject matter handled in a sensitive, compassionate way. It was consuming, engrossing and compelling reading. I thought to pace myself this week and found I couldn’t. I had to know how Sarah’s story ended. My book was full of sticky posts before I was done as there is so much material worthy of discussion.

Sarah’s story is the driving force behind this book and based around the real life horrific event, Rafle du Vélodrome d’Hiver, or Operation Spring Breeze. The roundup of French Jews by the French Government in July 1942. We follow her family as they are taken from their home where they are housed in unbearable conditions until transported to an internment camp outside of Paris and eventually the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Julia is an American journalist living in Paris for the last 25 years and married to a Parisian for 16 of those years. There are cracks in her marriage and she isn’t well liked by her in-laws. On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the roundup Julia has been assigned to cover this event. While conducting research Julia comes across Sarah’s story. The more she founds out the more she becomes caught up in finding Sarah and following her journey. What Julia doesn’t realize is that Sarah’s story will become intertwined with her own life with unforeseen consequences. *** Even though Sarah’s story is tragic it is the best piece of historical fiction I’ve read in quite a while. I simply couldn’t put it down. But this book falls apart for me once we leave Sarah’s story two-thirds of the way through and move mostly to reading about Julia. For me Julia’s personal issues with her husband detract and are unnecessary. The story loses some of it’s power at this point.

My issues with the story telling are minor and I highly recommend this book. I could talk about it for days. Sarah’s story will stay with me for a long, long time.

Ms. de Rosnay has written a guest post which can be read here.

*** Follow this week’s discussion: Monday: The Printed Page Tuesday: Peeking Between the Pages Wednesday: The Printed Page Thursday: Peeking Between the Pages Friday: Peeking Between the Pages/The Printed Page ***

For today’s discussion by stop by Dar’s blog at Peeking Between the Pages.

Follow this week’s discussion: Monday: The Printed Page Tuesday: Peeking Between the Pages Wednesday: The Printed Page Thursday: Peeking Between the Pages

If you’ve stopped my blog this week you know I’ve been reading Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. It is a work of fiction based around the real life horrific event, Rafle du Vélodrome d’Hiver, or Operation Spring Breeze. The roundup of French Jews by the French Government in July 1942.

This story is an emotional roller coaster ride portraying the worse side of humanity. This book drained me mentally. The first night I tossed and turned rerunning passages through my sleep deprived mind. I’ve been stunned by the things I’ve read.

Today I saw the best of humanity. The Winter World Special Olympic games are taking place in Boise, Idaho this week. We had a blast! From volunteers to coaches to athletes to supporters we were surrounded by love. There was dignity and grace in loss. Sportsmanship without any pretense. Camaraderie among nations and countries that you won’t find anywhere else. Winning and losing were celebrated with equal abandon because in the world of Special Olympics there are no losers. We were graced and blessed with all that is right in the world.

We watched Floor Hockey and Speed Skating. We saw athletes from countries that have next to nothing playing teams with the best of everything. Fall down? Pick yourself up and go forward. Miss the goal? It’s OK, there’s always the next time. Even though we as spectators noticed the differences these athletes didn’t. You take the god given talent you have and you make the most of it.

There were no bad attitudes, no temper tampturms on display. No giving up. Crowds cheered as loudly for last place as first because we were cheering the effort not the color of the medal.  The smiles were infectious and many. Everywhere you looked there was nothing but good times to found.

The Special Olympics athlete oath: Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt. ***

Welcome to By the Chapter. The featured book is Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. Sharing hosting duties with me this week is Dar from Peeking Between the Pages. *** If you’re not familiar with Sarah’s Key here’s a little background on the book from St. Martin’s Press: Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup (I included this Wikipedia link), but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family’s apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France’s past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d’Hiv’, to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah’s past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life. *** This book is a work of fiction based on true events. This story is told from two viewpoints – Sarah’s and Julia’s. Chapters are very short and alternate between 1942 and 2002 for the first two-thirds of the book. Once most of Sarah’s story is complete the book then moves to 2002 and later to 2005. Initially I was attempting to pace my reading so as to not finish before Friday. Best laid plans went astray and I finished the book today. I’ll save my thoughts about this book for Friday and today I’ll cover more of this emotionally heartbreaking story. If there are spoilers they are minor as I know many of you have not yet had the opportunity to read this book and it is sitting TBR piles.

Sarah: When I started this book Sunday night Sarah’s incredibly wrenching story started chipping away at my heart from the very first page. Sarah locks her little brother in their secret hiding place so that he’ll be protected from the roundup of Jews in her city. She’s taken, along with her parents and others Jews, many of them children, as part of Operation Spring Breeze. 10-year old Sarah believes she’ll be back home within hours to release her little brother. Time passes agonizingly from hours to days, days to weeks. She is witness to and an unwilling participant in the most horrific of situations. Denied basic human rights and living conditions families are devastated and ripped apart. Many succumb before leaving Paris. As I turned pages reading Sarah’s story I felt my heart crumbling bit by bit. I was grieving for these people. Alternately sadness and rage played havoc with my emotions. At page 160 my heart shattered into tiny pieces.

Julia: Julia is a journalist writing for a weekly American magazine covering cultural happenings. On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the roundup Julia has been assigned to cover this event. From all appearances this event in history hasn’t been widely publicized and many people either aren’t aware of it’s ever having happened or would rather forget this ugly time in history. (Quite honestly until reading this book I wasn’t aware of it. It wasn’t covered in my school history classes.) Through the course of her investigation she learns that her husband’s grandmother’s apartment, which they are renovating, plays a significant role in this story. His family moved into this particular apartment in late July of 1942.

It turns out that Julia’s husband’s family played a role in Sarah’s life that I never anticipated. I won’t give away the story but the lives of Sarah and this family become intertwined in a decades long, uplifting, life affirming connection. After all the truly unspeakable horror suffered by this child there were people who cared and cared deeply about her well being.

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The path of Julie’s investigation into Sarah’s life is what most captured my attention in the last two-thirds of this book. Ms. de Rosnay skillfully weaves fact into fiction and the shear ignorance of people is mind boggling. Some of the ‘facts’ will leave you stunned. Once again I found myself sticky posting paragraph after paragraph. Snippets of writing that would generate hours of conversation. Just a bit of what captured me:

11,000 children were deported from France

French Jews were sent first to interment camps, then to Auschwitz and straight into the gas chambers. By the French government, on French buses, on French trains. [Sarah's Key, page 116 - uncorrected proof]

A commune and housing development are currently located at Drancy which was once the site of Drancy Deportation Camp. If you’d like to read more about Drancy here’s a link to a case study written by Michel Laffitte, Professor of History.

Residents of Beaune-la-Rolande watched deported Jews exit the trains and walk through the middle of town to the internment camp. A small sign is all that remains to remind people of these events: In memory of the thousands of Jewish children, women, and men, who between May 1941 and August 1943 passed through this station and the internment camp at Beaune-la-Rolande, before being deported to Auschwitz, the extermination camp, where they were assassinated. Never forget. [Sarah's Key, page 138 - uncorrected proof]

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Most surprising to me is how large a role the French government had in these events. When I think of WWII I think of Germany and Hitler. When I think of France I remember it was an occupied country but little did I know about what really went on. Admittedly I’m very affected, and certainly shocked, by the history I’ve come across.

I could go on but really you need to read this book to truly understand the story Ms. de Rosany paints. On Friday not only will be I posting my final thoughts about Sarah’s Key but Ms. de Rosnay has written a guest post to be included on the final day of this week’s By the Chapter. Personally I haven’t read the guest post, in case it contained potential spoilers but I’m expecting it will be something wonderful.

***  I’d like to thank Dawn at She Is Too Fond Of Books for sending me her copy of this wonderful book. *** If you’ve read, or are currently reading, Sarah’s Key please share your thoughts with us. *** This week’s reading schedule: Monday: The Printed Page Tuesday: Peeking Between the Pages Wednesday: The Printed Page Thursday: Peeking Between the Pages Friday: Peeking Between the Pages and The Printed Page ***

For today’s discussion by stop by Dar’s blog at Peeking Between the Pages.

If you missed Monday’s discussion check it out here.

*** I couldn’t help myself I finished it today. It is such powerful reading. Read more in tomorrow’s post here at The Printed Page.

Welcome to By the Chapter. The featured book is Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. Sharing hosting duties with me this week is Dar from Peeking Between the Pages. *** If you’re not familiar with Sarah’s Key here’s a little background on the book from St. Martin’s Press: Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup (I included this Wikipedia link), but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family’s apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France’s past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d’Hiv’, to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah’s past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life. *** This story is told from two viewpoints – Sarah’s and Julia’s. Chapters are very short and alternate between 1942 and 2002. The chapters aren’t numbered but to this point I’ve read the first 100 of 293 pages. I’ll have to pace myself so as not the finish the book before Friday. This book is a work of fiction based on a true event.

Sarah: To this point Sarah’s family has been arrested and transported to the velodrome (Wikipedia link for actual velodrome history) for holding. Before the arrest her parents would secretly talk about what was happening in cities and countries throughout Europe. Sarah would eavesdrop on these conversations. Even though aware of unfolding events she only has a vague notion of what is really happening. During the arrest, and believing she will soon return, she locks her brother in their secret hiding place to protect him. Little does she know that her family won’t be returning to their home and worry consumes her. After days in horrid conditions at the velodrome Sarah and her parents along with the other Jews, many of them children, are transported to a concentration camp outside of Paris. Once there women and children are separated from the men. To make matters even more dire soon mothers and children are separated with parents being sent away. Ever more consumed with worry about her younger brother Sarah and another girl, Rachel, hatch a plan to escape and make their way back to Paris.

Julia: Julia is American living in the Paris for the last 25 years and married to Parisian for 16 of those years. There is some stress in their marriage as her husband Bertrand, at times, treats her indifferently and she’s coming to resent his behavior after all these years. She’s never really been accepted by his parents but adores his grandmother who she visits regularly. Also she’s suffered several miscarriages and has only carried one pregnancy to term, a 10 year old daughter Zoe. Julia is a journalist writing for a weekly American magazine covering cultural happenings. On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the roundup Julia has been assigned to cover this event. From all appearances this event in history hasn’t been widely publicized and many people are either aren’t aware of it’s ever having happened or would rather forget this ugly time in history. (Quite honestly until reading this book I wasn’t aware of it. It wasn’t covered in my school history classes.) While investigating this event Julia learns that her husband is less than interested nor can he recall learning about during his educational years. Through the course of her investigation she learns that his grandmother’s apartment, which Julia and Bertrand are renovating, plays a significant role in this story. His family moved into this particular apartment in late July of 1942. Coincidence? I think not. *** I’m totally captivated by this book. As I stated earlier pacing myself is difficult. The intertwined stories are engrossing. Alternating the short chapters makes the story easy to follow. You start to see how you think the story will play out and come together even though it’s set 60 years apart. Right now I’m more intrigued with Sarah’s story just because it is so compelling but I believe as I get deeper into this book Julia’s story will have more of a hold on me. As her research leads her deeper into this time in history her discoveries might have unimaginable impacts on this family. The book is sitting right next to me as I write and I’m itching to dive right back in. My only regret right now – why did I wait this long to start reading it? I’d like to thank Dawn at She Is Too Fond Of Books for sending me her copy of this wonderful book. *** If you’ve read, or are currently reading, Sarah’s Key please share your thoughts with us. *** This week’s reading schedule: Monday:  The Printed Page Tuesday: Peeking Between the Pages Wednesday: The Printed Page Thursday: Peeking Between the Pages Friday: Peeking Between the Pages and The Printed Page ***

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

Here’s what I got last week:

Historical fiction ~ Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.

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What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to leave a link to your Mailbox post or a list of books if you don’t have a blog.