Showing results for "Library" in 20th Century

1940, London. When Cordelia accepts the post of head librarian in Silver Town Library, her mother is more than a little disapproving. The East End has high levels of poverty and illiteracy, and her mother says it’s no place for a woman of her status. But Cordelia is determined to make a difference in these times of strife, and along with her colleagues, Jane and Mavis, she begins to help the local community, making sure everyone knows what the library can offer them. And maybe even a romance will blossom.

"A remarkable novel: chilling, compelling, contained..." The Times "...warrants a permanent place in the growing canon of World War Two literature." Clare McHugh, BBC Culture It is Christmas Eve 1932, and the Kluger family are celebrating at home. Their only daughter Lexa is excited about her...

"A fascinating and intelligent WWII home front story." —Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author for The Physicists' Daughter Can a family’s dark history repeat itself? Estella Ecker has returned to Rockfall House, the last place on earth she wants to be. Years after she ran away from...

“A must-read for booklovers.” —Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of Next Year in Havana A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of books that bring them together, by the bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London. In...

For as long as Alice Carmichael can remember, the only thing she’s been able to count on is the written word. The war may have taken everything from her, but the stories she cherishes provide solace and escape into a world that is more hopeful than 1942 England. So when Alice finds herself at the mercy and kindness of strangers, miles from everything she’s ever known, it’s little surprise that books become her purpose. Now, Alice must channel the courage of her favourite heroines to risk everything for her country.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway is a landmark novel of the 20th century that captures the disillusionment and aimlessness of the post–World War I generation, often referred to as the "Lost Generation." The story follows Jake Barnes, an American journalist living in Paris, and his circle of expatriate friends—including the charismatic and troubled Lady Brett Ashley—as they travel from the cafés of Montparnasse to the bullfighting arenas of Pamplona.

Mary hears on the radio that the British warship her husband is on has sunk, leaving few survivors. Waiting for daybreak to bring news, Mary escapes into memories of her past. Sincere and engaging - a ‘hot-water bottle’ novel - Mariana by Monica Dickens is full of sharply remembered detail...

In the year leading up to the First World War, four people’s lives intertwine, only to be pulled apart. A landmark of gay and pacifist literature, Rose Allatini’s story foregrounding conscientious objectors and queer love amidst wartime turmoil was banned months after its publication. At a...

With London still in the grip of war, Cordelia, Mavis, and Jane find themselves facing a new challenge. Determined to make a difference, the librarians band together to organise rent strikes, standing up against dirty landlords and unfair practices. Meanwhile, with the arrival of American GIs in the East End, Cordelia is presented with a temptation too irresistible to bear. Should she follow her head or her heart – stay faithful to her beloved Robert fighting abroad, or enjoy the brief respite from the constant air raids and destruction?

War strikes close to home for chief librarian Cordelia when her flat is bombed, and her beloved Robert is called up and sent abroad. Fortunately, her colleagues Mavis and Jane can help see her through hard times. The three friends find purpose in making the Silvertown library a friendly sanctuary for their deprived and devastated community. But sinister forces, from callous bureaucrats to crafty criminals, still lurk among the stacks.

With the echoes of war reverberating around London, Cordelia, Mavis, and Jane are delighted to be blessed with some good news: the King and his Queen will be making a visit to the East End. As excitement builds, so does their apprehension. With each passing day, the threat of destruction from air raids increasingly plagues their worried minds. But with Christmas on the horizon, their morale is at an all-time high, and the girls are determined to display to their esteemed guests all they have done with the library – and with so little.

For fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Tattooist of Auschwitz! “The Bookseller's Secret is a delight from start to finish, a literary feast any booklover will savor!” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye ARISTOCRAT, AUTHOR, BOOKSELLER, SPY—A...

A satirical view of the suffragette movement and an unblinking yet compassionate story that chronicles the impact of the First World War on an ordinary young couple, William – an Englishman by Cicely Hamilton won the first Prix Femina-Vie Heureuse prize in 1919. Written in a hospital tent to...