The Collector of Burned Books By: Roseanna White

 

• "Things spoken can be forgotten and forgiven, but the written word has the power to change the course of history, to alter our lives." — Teresa Mummert 

As a young girl, historical fiction became a passion of mine.  I remember falling in love with authors such as Eugenia Price and Al Lacy.  Their civil war books written before, during, and after the Civil War fed my imagination and cultivated a love of history and reading that I carry to this day.  My tastes have changed and at this season of life, I have been fascinated by WWII novels with Kate Thompson and her book The Little Wartime Library jumpstarting this new passion of mine.  If you love Kate Thompson, Sarah Sundin, and Lynn Austin you will not want to miss Roseanna White's newest book Collector of Burned Books.  

Nazi Germany was able to to spread and have their ideas embraced not only because of their military accomplishments but more importantly through their propoganda and their success at silencing great authors and works of fiction.  Basically, any book or author that went against their ideals was verboten or forbidden.  In 1940 Paris, Parisans found themselves invaded by Nazi troops.  Many authors, Jews, and anyone against Hitler that had escaped the German gestapo and concentration camps now found themselves in danger.  

This is where we find ourselves in Collector of Burned Books.  Corriene Bastien, a highly intelligent linguistic professor has used the library of these exiled Nazi writers as a place of solace, but also a place where with the help of these very books can help in the Resistance in any way possible.  Enter Professor Christian Bauer who is assigned to this library to handle the relocation of France's libraries.  He has his own secrets he is keeping.  When the two meet, will they be able to find true love or will the Nazi's win? 

This is more than just a historical fiction novel.  Roseanna White enlightens readers to the horrors of the Nazi regime and their desire to create their imagine perfect Aryan race.  In an attempt to do so, all ideas, discourse, and most literature must be destroyed for their success.  Through real life people like the beloved fictional Corriene and Christian, readers see that many every day people were true heroes of this time.  Book lovers will especially be glad they read this book, as it shows the power of the written word and the values and lessons one can learn.  I am reminded even more importantly, of the greatest work ever written, The Bible.  This book, written by a variety of different men from various backgrounds over a period of 1,500 years has withstood the test of time.  This book through divine preservation has survived being banned, being burned, and persecution.  I know this book made me appreciate the greatest story ever told.  I am so thankful to have been able to read this amazing historical fiction novel.  

I encourage fans of historical fiction to pick up a copy of this book (Amazon and Barnes and Noble are two places where it can be found).  Curl up reading a tremendous love story, and learn from history at a time when humanity was not at its best.  As christians, we can take comfort in the words of Christ,  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."   

Simba strongly feels this is a 4 paw book, and that everyone should read and learn and grow from Roseanna White's book.  Happy Reading!!