The Paris LIbrary

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles 368 pages

This fabulous novel explores the meaning of friendship, loyalty, and most important, the need--- and the desire---for information. It illustrates how important libraries are, even in these days of Google and the internet.

The library in this novel is The American Library in Paris. A real, still-functioning library in Paris’ 7^th arrondissement, ten minutes from the Eiffel Tower, celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2020.  From their website: “The American Library in Paris was established in 1920 under the auspices of the American Library Association with a core collection of books and periodicals donated by American libraries to United States armed forces personnel serving their allies in World War I. The Library has grown since then into the largest English-language lending library on the European continent. It operates as a non-profit cultural association…”

I loved looking at the website photos to help clarify my visions of what the library looked during the novel’s time frame (1939-1944).  That is one timeline in this fabulous story. The other is 1986-87 and takes place in Montana.

The war years’ part of the story mostly takes place in the library. There is a whole cast of employees and patrons that readers get to know as the noose of the German Occupation grows tighter and tighter. However, the main protagonist is Odile (Oh-deal) Souchet. The Montana part of the story gives readers full-circle about what happened after the war.

Odile has just landed her dream job at the library. She is so happy to be there, she doesn’t even mind that her parents are desperately trying to find her a husband. Her dad, a police commissioner, is always bringing single officers home for Sunday dinner. Odile has no interest in marriage.

As the Nazis goose-step down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, most Parisians flee the city, except for the library employees and a few faithful patrons. The employees stay behind because they believe in their mission, to provide information and entertainment.

What happens in this novel is not unlike what is happening at libraries in 2021. They are doing their best to stay open and meet patrons’ needs. I work at a library (not on the frontlines though) and felt a symbiotic relationship with Odile and the others. Even when they were in danger (as our staff is with the coronavirus running amuck), they showed up to complete their mission---even if that meant home deliveries and hiding patrons of a certain religious persuasion.

I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. I also recommend visiting The American Library in Paris; website at americanlibraryinparis.org.

The Paris Library receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.