Photo by Barry Goldstein
Told in the breathtaking innocence of a child’s voice, Jim Shepard’s The Book of Aron is a heart-wrenching story of the atrocities of the Holocaust that seems destined to join the shelf alongside other World War II classics such as The Diary of Anne Frank, The Book Thief and other child-centered tales. At the heart of this searing novel is Aron, a young boy in war-torn Poland who must learn to adapt to life inside a Jewish ghetto while facing the horrors of famine, violence, disease and hunger. Already living amid poverty prior to the outbreak of battle, Aron adjusts to life in the ghetto as any child acclimates to his surroundings, even as his world slides deeper into hell. Aron watches the mounting horrors of war with a striking detachment and unwittingly turns to smuggling as a way to secure his own survival.
After Aron is orphaned, he meets real-life hero Dr. Janusz Korczak, a remarkable figure who heads the Warsaw orphanage. The bravery and dedication of this impressive doctor is seen through Aron’s eyes, as he valiantly struggles to keep his orphanage afloat and to create humanity in the midst of such depravity. Drawing on numerous historical sources, Shepard’s compelling account of war details the complexities of heroism with an unforgettable sense of humanity and courage.
Shepard has released seven novels and four short story collections. His work has been shortlisted for the National Book Award and he was awarded the 2005 Massachusetts Book Award. Shepard teaches creative writing and film at Williams College. He will speak at Boswell Book Co. at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 18.
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Book Happenings:
Sean Chercover and John Rector
7 p.m., June 22
Mystery One Bookstore
2109 N. Prospect Ave.
Best-selling thriller authors Sean Chercover and John Rector are scheduled to appear at Mystery One Bookstore. Chercover, the author of the acclaimed 2012 thriller The Trinity Game, is out with a new book of modern noir. The Devil’s Game, which features many of the same characters, including former Vatican investigator Daniel Byrne, combines an alarming medical mystery with rising global terror. John Rector’s newest mystery, Ruthless, centers on a spine-tingling, suspenseful case of mistaken identity. This author event is free and open to the public.
Devin Johnston and Nate Klug
7 p.m., June 20
Woodland Pattern Book Center
720 E. Locust St.
Woodland Pattern Book Center will celebrate the release of new publications by poets Devin Johnston and Nate Klug. Johnston, the author of four previous books of poetry and two books of prose, is out with a new collection titled Far-Fetched. Klug’s newest collection, Anyone, follows on the heels of his 2013 modern translation of Virgil’s Eclogues titled Rude Woods.
