My very first Heather's Pick - and still one of my favourite
stories - was 'The Secret Book of Grazia Dei Rossi'. A love story
between a poor young woman and a dashing Count, set against the
backdrop of all that was happening in the time of the Medicis, the
richly imagined saga was inspired when author Jacquie Parks came
across two letters in the young woman's hand archived at The New
York Public Library.
Similarly, People of the Book, written by Pulitzer Prize winner
Geraldine Brooks, takes its inspiration from a small truth - the
real-life existence of a rare and richly illustrated Passover
Haggadah, originally created in medieval Spain. 'People of the
Book' has it all - romance, mystery, intrigue, history, and when
all is said and done - a great life lesson.
It is storytelling at its best and will surely be considered one of
the best novels of 2008. The perfect read to curl up with on these
last few wintery weekends.