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People of the Book

Geraldine Brooks

ISBN: 9780732280376

Teaching notes written by Christine Sarandis

About the book

When Hannah Heath gets a call in the middle of the night in her Sydney home about a precious

medieval manuscript which has been recovered from the smouldering ruins of war-torn Sarajevo, she

knows she is on the brink of the experience of a lifetime. A renowned book conservator, she must now

make her way to Bosnia to start work on restoring The Sarajevo Haggadah, a Jewish prayer book – to

discover its secrets and piece together the story of its miraculous survival. But the trip will also set in

motion a series of events that threaten to rock Hannah's orderly life, including her encounter with

Ozren Karamen, the young librarian who risked his life to save the book.

As meticulously researched as all of Brooks's previous work, 'People of the Book' is a gripping and

moving novel about war, art, love and survival.

About Geraldine Brooks

Geraldine Brooks, Australian author and journalist, grew up in the Western suburbs of Sydney,

attended Bethlehem College Ashfield and the University of Sydney. She worked as a reporter for The

Sydney Morning Herald for three years as a feature writer with a special interest in environmental

issues.

In 1982 she won the Greg Shackleton Australian News Correspondents scholarship to the journalism

master's program at Columbia University in New York City. Later she worked for The Wall Street

Journal, where she covered crises in the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans.

Brooks married Tony Horwitz in Tourette-sur-loup, France, in 1984. They have one child and divide

their time between homes in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts and Sydney, Australia.

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For further information on the author you can visit her website at: http://www.geraldinebrooks.com/ or

read some of the following articles about her:

Australian Wins Pulitzer, 18 April 2006

http://www.theage.com.au/news/books/australian-wins-pulitzer/2006/04/18/1145126080875.html

Australian Joins Pulitzer Elite, 19 April 2006

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/australian-writer-wins-us-

prize/2006/04/18/1145344084272.html

Hawley, J Woman of the World, 15 December 2007, The Age Newspaper, Good Weekend Magazine

Reviews of the novel

http://www.amazon.com/review/product/067001821X?filterBy=addFourStar

http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-bk-barton30dec30,0,1017628.story?coll=la-books-center

http://www.geraldinebrooks.com/docs/people_of_the_book_pr.pdf

Other books by the author

Fiction

Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague

March

Non-fiction

Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women

Foreign Correspondent: A Pen Pal’s Journey fro Down Under to All Over

Note to teachers

Caution is needed when directing students to research the Bosnian or other conflicts as much of the

information on the Internet may be accompanied by graphic images.

The timeline and setting

This novel spans many centuries and includes references to the years 1480, 1492, 1609, 1894, 1940,

1996, 2002

How effective is the author in making transitions from one particular time and place to

another. What links these transitions and makes them plausible? Discuss.

Locations include: Sydney and Arnhem Land, Australia; Sarajevo, Bosnia; Vienna, Austria; Boston,

USA; Venice, Italy; Tarragona and Seville, Spain; London, UK

Vocabulary

Ask students to write down unfamiliar words and try to define them. Such words may include:

codex, restorer, conservator, kustos, pogrom, genocide, khoja, aksham, zikr, dervishes,

fildzan, mangala, dzezva, Massids, psalters, bimah, cales, surcoat, mikvahsculptionale,

shchet, converso, ketubah case, mitzot, phylacteries, hakim, odalisque, intifada and etc.

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Quotes for discussion

The following quotes can be used as discussion starters on issues raised in the novel.

Hanna p. 15 “The illuminations were beautiful, but I didn’t allow myself to look at them as art. Not yet.

First I had to understand them as chemicals.”

Hanna p. 19 “Of course, a book is more than the sum of its materials. It is an artifact of the human

mind and hand. The gold beaters, the stone grinders, the scribes, the binders, those are the people I

feel most comfortable with. Sometimes in the quiet, these people speak to me. They let me see what

their intentions were, and it helps me to do my work.”

Ozren p. 29 “How could you possibly have an ethnic war here, in this city, when every second person

is the product of a mixed marriage? How to have a religious war in a city where no one ever goes to

church?”

p. 35 “[The climate controlled room to house the Haggadah would]… be a shrine to the survival of

Sarajevo’s multi-ethnic heritage. The Haggadah would have pride of place, but all around the walls

would be Islamic manuscripts and Orthodox icons that would show how the people and their arts had

grown from the same roots, influencing and inspiring one another.”

Speaking for Jewish people [p. 230], a rabbi had said: It has been one of the virtues of our nation that

the rich and important in every generation have tried to produce beautiful manuscripts.”

Ben Shoushan p. 232 “A sofer must fill this mind with only the holy letters. He could not be distracted

by daily things.” and “What reason could there be in this constant fighting with the Moors? Had not

the Muslims, Jews, and Christians, shared these lands in contentment – in convivencia – for years.

What was the saying? Christians raise the armies, Muslims raise the building,s and Jews raise the

money.”

Lola contemplating the library’s large collection: p. 351 “I asked once, and the library assistant told

me there were more than a hundred thousand books there, and more than sixty million pages of

documents. It’s a good number, I think: ten pages for every person who died. A kind of monument in

paper for people who have no gravestones.”

Characters

Characterisation is central to this novel and the focus is on Hanna’s life and her pursuit of the historical

truth behind the haggadah’s journey through time. It also focuses on her relationships with her mother

and the effect this has had on her life as well as exploring the motivation behind the actions of other

major characters including Sarah Heath, Ozren Karaman, Werner Heinrich, Amitai Yomtov, Lola,

Florien Mittl, Vistorini, Judah Aryeh, David Shoushan and Zahra.

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Characters in the novel in each setting include:

1996 Sarajevo: Hanna Heath, Hamish Sajjan, Ozren Karamen, Amitai Yomtov, Werner

Heinrich

1940 Sarajevo: Lola, Dora, Rashela, Lujo, Mordechai, Branko, Oskar, Isak, Ina, Samuel,

Marks, Serif, Stela

1996 Vienna: Amalie Sutter, Frau Zweig, Razmus Kanaha

1894 Vienna: Doktor Franz Hirschfelt, David Hirschfeldt, Herr Florien Mittl, Anna, Rosalind

1609 Venice: the priest Giovani Domenico Vistorini (Eliahu ha-Cohain), Paolo, the rabbi

Judah Aryeh and his wife Sarai, Dona Reyna de Serena, Lucio de Bernadotti

1996 Boston: Sarah Heath, Afsana, Delilah Sharansky, Aaron Sharansky, Dr Friosole, Jonah

Sharansky

1492 Tarragona: David Ben Shoushan, Ruth (Ruti), Reuben (Renato del Salvador),Micha the

bookbinder, Rosa, Joseph, Rachela, Don Senseor, Don Abravanel, Rabbi Duran, Miriam

1996 London: Maryanne, Clarissa Montague-Morgan

1480 Seville: Zahra, Netanel ha-Levi, Ibraham al-Tarek, Faris, Nura (Isabella), Sahar, Abu

Abd Allah

2002 Arnhem Land: Lofty, Jim, Keith Lowery

Hanna’s questions

Things Hanna sought answers to in her investigations of the haggadah include:

a) Why there were no clasps on the binding despite the fact that the Austrian who had

rebound it in the 1890s had made holes for them.

b) Why the book was illuminated if it was only for home use.

c) The identity of the African woman in the saffron robes in the family feast

illumination.

d) Why a Venetian censor had saved the book.

e) Why a Muslim librarian had saved the book from the Nazis.

f) Discuss the degree of satisfaction Hanna felt in the answers she gained.

Themes: discussion questions

Themes to be explored with class groups might include:

Art

The creation of objects and paintings is a form of expression used by people throughout history to

record events and beliefs as well as their responses to them. In particular, religious communities have

created stories of their history since time began.

Throughout history, name some ways in which people have expressed their life and beliefs

through art?

Use Web references to look at medieval paintings from the haggadah and describe what these

paintings depict and represent?

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In the early part of the novel and towards the end, Hanna considers the ancient people of

Australia and their way of recording their history. Research and write about Aboriginal rock

art as a record of an ancient culture.

War

There are many aspects of War and conflict covered in the novel. The major incidents causing hardship

in the lives of the characters include:

1480 and 1492 Spain - the Spanish Inquisition, established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs to

maintain Catholic Orthodoxy in their kingdoms was under the direct control of the Spanish

Monarchy. Jews (in 1492) and Muslim Moors (in 1502) were banished from Spain.

1609 Venice – Jews were accepted into Venetian society but with many restrictions .

1894 Vienna – The Jews were under scrutiny from the Germans.

1940 Sarajevo – WW II The Jews were expelled from Sarajevo.

1996 Sarajevo - The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, known as the Bosnian War occurred

between March 1992 and November 1995.

the intifada

Find out about the Bosnian War, the Spanish Inquisition or the persecution of the Jews during

one period covered in the novel – describe the issues at the heart of the conflict and create a

timeline where possible.

Why do you think buildings of special significance are bombing targets in a war zone?

From what you have read, describe what life must have been like for those who were

persecuted for their religious beliefs?

Survival

There are two issues of survival in this novel; one involves the survival of people in times of war or as

a result of religious persecution, and the other centres on the survival of the haggadah through history.

The first real insight into issues of personal survival occurs in the section entitled, An Insect’s Wing -

Sarajvo, 1940. In this section, Lola and many of her fellow Partisankas, are forced to leave their

homes to become resistance fighters. Many of them are children like Lola whose relatives have been

murdered in the name of ethnic cleansing. During their travels, many of her comrades die and Lola

only survives because her former Muslim neighbours accept her into their home.

There are many other excellent historical fiction stories for young adult readers that focus on issues of

survival. (Please refer to the list at the end of these notes.) Reading other stories in this genre could be a

means of comparative study or it might broaden students’ understanding of this theme.

Love

Hanna is a victim of her apparently loveless upbringing and has difficulty in forming relationships. As

one consequence, she applies herself passionately to her work, but runs the risk of failing to find

personal happiness. The cause of her family dysfunction is complex. Discuss.

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What possible reason do you think Sarah Heath had for neglecting to tell her daughter about

her origins and extended family?

In allowing her husband to die, what assumption had Sarah Heath made about his desire to

live? How do you interpret the choice she made and what were its repercussions for Hanna?

How do you think earlier knowledge of her roots may have changed the relationship between

mother and daughter?

When Hanna met Ozren, there were many difficulties preventing them from forming a relationship.

Discuss these factors and contrast them with their eventual union at the end of the novel.

In the end, what made it possible for Hanna and Ozren to consider a future together despite

their earlier disagreements?

Questions from each section of the text

Teachers may choose to use a range of questions with the class as a whole or ask students to work in

groups to answer some questions from each or a particular section of the novel. These questions are

meant as a guide to understanding the characters and themes in the novel and need not be used in their

totality. Extension questions and activities are provided in other sections of these notes and re-reading

sections prior to answering the questions may be helpful.

Also, discuss the relevance of the quotes beneath each chapter title.

Hanna - Sarajevo, Spring 1996

How did Hanna feel when she was asked to work on the Sarajevo haggadah?

Why had Amitai chosen Hanna over other more experienced conservators?

Which question did Hanna ask Amitai after he offered her the work and what was the

significance of her question? [Ref. p. 11]

Describe the scene that confronted Hanna as she was driven through the streets of Sarajevo

upon her arrival in the city?

How did Hanna describe her feelings upon first sighting the codex?

Describe the haggadah as seen through Hanna’s eyes when she first saw it at the bank?

In what way did Hanna believe the Austrian had mishandled the haggadah in the 1890s?

According to Hanna, which conditions are the best for conserving manuscripts?

Why did Hanna speak abruptly to the librarian before she realised who he was and how did

she attempt to make up for her rudeness?

What did Hanna believe to be the source of the book’s leather pages?

Why did Hanna photograph the book before and after her conservation efforts?

What do we learn about Hanna’s family and personal life in this section?

Which two things did Hanna discover on her first day with the manuscript?

What were Hanna’s thoughts in response to Ozren’s questioning about her chosen vocation?

Which reason did Hanna create for accepting Ozren’s offer of dinner on her first night in

Sarajevo?

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Why did Ozren say the war in Sarajevo was such a surprise to the city’s inhabitants?

Recount Ozren’s story about how he came to save the haggadah and why had he taken on the

role of protector of the book?

How did he say he felt after rescuing the book and why did he feel this way?

What did Ozren reveal about the haggadah’s history in the 1950s?

What did Hanna learn about Ozren’s life the first time she went to his apartment?

When he took her into the mountains, what did Ozren reveal about his wife and baby son?

What was the cause of Ozren’s aggressive outburst in the hospital while he and Hanna were

visiting his son?

After the visit, why did Hanna refuse Ozren’s offers to visit his apartment?

How had Hanna’s upbringing shaped her beliefs about family and relationships?

Hanna had two reasons for visiting Vienna after leaving Sarajevo. What were they?

On leaving Sarajevo, what did Hanna plan to do in relation to Ozren’s son?

Which question was raised through Amalie’s investigations in relation to the insect’s wing

Hanna found in the haggadah?

An Insect’s Wing - Sarajvo, 1940

What was the appeal of the Young Guardian’s meeting that Lola was forbidden to attend?

Who was their leader and what philosophyd did he offer his followers?

Once Mordechai left Sarajevo as a pioneer for the Jewish homeland in Palestine, how was

Samuel, his replacement, differ from him?

What did Lola notice about the tone and content of the letters from those who had travelled to

Palestine?

What lead more and more Jews to leave Sarajevo for Palestine?

How did Lola’s father die and what led to her separation from her remaining family?

How had Rashel convince her daughter Lola to flee the synagogue where many Jewish

women, including Lola’s mother, sister and aunt were being held captive?

Why was Lola forced to take Isak’s sister, Ina with her when she fled Sarajevo?

What led to Lola’s acceptance by the leader of the partisank’s and with what job was she

entrusted?

How did the group exist in their seven months together?

Why were all partisankas forced to carry a grenade?

Why was the group disbanded?

Eventually, why did Isak take his own life and that of his sister, Ina?

How did Lola response to this tragedy and where did she end up?

With whom did Lola find comfort upon her return to Sarajevo and what was she forced to do

in order to keep herself and her protectors safe?

Describe Serif’s role in saving the haggadah?

For safekeeping, where in 1940’s Bosnia did the haggadah finally rest and how did the insect’

wing come to be inside its pages?

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Hanna - Vienna, Spring, 1996

Hanna said of her relationship with Werner Heinrich, her mentor: “I think we each filled a

vacancy in the other’s life.” How do you interpret this statement?

According to her friend Amalie, which insect did the wing fragment belong to?

What new information did Werner reveal about the haggadah’s rediscovery in 1894 and what

was his theory surrounding the book’s return to Bosnia and its clumsy binding?

When Hanna called Ozren from Vienna, what did she learn about the man who had saved the

haggadah during World War II?

In Vienna, what did Hanna discover about the haggadah’s mysterious clasps?

Feathers and a Rose - Vienna, 1894

In 1894 Vienna, what is the climate or mood of the city and in what position were the Jewish

people? Discuss in relation to the following quote of the Doktor’s thoughts from p. 116:

“Discretion. That was what they paid him for. All the aristocrats, …He knew very well that

many of them would not have a Jew defile their drawing room, or even keep him company

over a coffee. But they were only too pleased to entrust to him the care of their private parts

and the confidences of their private lives.”

What, according to the Doktor, were the two greatest killers of his time?

What was the cause and condition of Florien Mittl’s illness?

How did Mittl’s illness affect his work on the haggadah?

Why did Mittl give the decorative silver clasps from the haggadah to the Doktor?

Despite his magnanimous mood, why did the Doktor suddenly decide to accept the clasps as

payment for Mittl’s medicines and what did he intend to do with them?

Describe how the pieces of the clasps were to be used.

Hanna - Vienna, Spring, 1996

Which fact regarding the haggadah’s missing clasps was Hanna able to report to Frau Zweig

in Vienna?

What did Hanna and Frau Zweig’s speculate about what had happened to the haggadah in

1894?

According to Hanna, what argument did her mother use to justify her arrogance and her

insistence on taking advantage of her position?

How did Hanna’s mother react when she first saw Hanna in Boston?

What caused the argument between mother and daughter and how do you interpret their

behaviour and relationship?

What prognosis did Hanna’s mother give Ozren’s son and how did Hanna respond to it?

According to Hanna’s friend Raz, what had caused the odd stains on the parchment of the

haggadah?

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Wine Stains - Venice, 1609

Why did Vistorini often find his work as censor of the Inquisitor difficult?

What was the rabbi required to wear as a symbol of God’s blood that the Jews had [p. 161]

“brought down upon their own heads” and what main reason did he give for wearing the

covering?

According to the rabbi, why didn’t the Jews fear the Catholics as they once had?

For Jews in the early 1500s, what had made Venice ‘a promised land’ compared with other

places?

Of which sin was the rabbi personally ashamed and what excuses did he make for his

behaviour?

Which role had Dona Reyna de Serena assumed in Venice and why?

How and why did the rabbi deceive Dona and how did he plan to make amends for his sins?

According to Dona, how did she acquire the haggadah and from whom?

What did she want the rabbi to do with the haggadah and which reasons did she provide for

wanting the book passed by the censor?

Why, according to the rabbi, did Vistorini drink so heavily?

How did the rabbi’s evening at the ridotto end?

Describe the meaning behind Judah’s comparison of the haggadah’s rich gold and silver leaf

and the persecution of the book’s descendants.

Why did Judah believe a Christian must have created the images in the haggadah?

Despite being plied with the rabbi’s wine, why did Vistorini refuse to pass the haggadah?

What game did Vistorini propose in order to save the haggadah and how did the game

conclude?

What was the source of the priest’s own demons as he struggled to justify his banishment and

betrayal of the rabbi?

What was the origin of the orphaned Vistorini and what had he been forced to denounce?

How had the wine and blood come to stain the haggadah’s parchment?

Hanna - Boston, Spring, 1996

How do you interpret Raz’s speech describing how the haggadah had survived the same

human disaster over and over again?

What life-changing information did Hanna learn after her mother’s car accident?

What reasons did Jonah give for the lack of contact between his own family and Hanna?

Give an opinion on what Hanna may have felt at being denied any prior knowledge of her

father?

Which conclusion did Hanna reach after her night with her newly discovered relatives?

Saltwater - Tarragona, Spain 1492

Describe the young man selling the parchment in the marketplace and summarise what was

known of him?

What caused Miriam’s anger towards her husband David and how did his defence pacify her?

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What was it about the young man David bought the parchments from, that prevented David

from learning about the origin of the pages?

Working on the haggadah late into the night, what caused David to faint?

Why had David renounced his only son, Reuben?

Which two reasons did Joseph give for refusing to provide the money for his nephew’s

release?

What devastating news for the Jewish people did Joseph relay to his brother David?

According to David, what was ironic about the king and queen’s decision?

How did Joseph propose to change the king and queen’s mind about the fate of his race?

Of what did Ruti’s secret life consist?

Aside from Reuben’s love for a Catholic woman, what was Ruti’s theory on her father’s role

in Reuben’s religious conversion?

Despite Reuben’s marriage, conversion to Catholicism and his estrangement from his parents,

how were he and Ruti able to remain close?

What had David had remodelled for the central medallion and clasps on the haggadah?

Why was it important to David to embellish the haggadah and what did he hope to gain by it?

What did the ring and rose design signify?

Why had Reuben kept the phylacteries after his conversion to Christianity?

How was Reuben forced to implicate his sister in his own crimes?

Of what did Rosa’s father accuse her and how did she feel about the choices she had made and

their devastating consequences for her family?

After David’s violent death, what dilemma did his wife Miriam, face?

How was the news of the impending execution of the Jews in Tarragona, delivered?

Which major incident paved the way for the Jews’ expulsion from Spain?

Where and with whom was the haggadah at the end of this section?

Describe the events that transpired in the cave between Rosa and Ruti?

What dilemma did Ruti face?

How did the saltwater find its way onto the pages of the manuscript?

What were Ruti’s plans for the near future and how did she deal with her newborn nephew?

Hanna - London, Spring, 1996

Where did Hanna finally break down and express her grief over the loss of her father?

In what way did Hanna hope to make her essay different from the usual dry reports often

presented at conferences?

Which part of the puzzle surrounding the loss of the silver clasps came to Hanna via a letter

from Frau Zweig?

What devastating news did Hanna receive when she was finally connected to someone in

Ozren’s apartment?

What sealed Hanna’s decision to return to Sarajevo following her London stay?

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According to the detective, Clarissa Montague-Morgan, what was unusual about the cat’s hair

Hanna had found in the haggadah’s binding?

A White Hair - Seville, 1480

Describe the situation which led the doctor’s child to create her first drawing?

What was the source of the fine hairs used to make Hooman’s brushes?

What task was imposed upon the youth before he fainted and his true gender was discovered?

Following her rape, which life losses did Zahra recount to herself?

According to Kebira at the palace, what was the problem with the emir?

Describe the emira’s demeanour when Zahra first painted her and what was the source of her

state of mind?

How did Zahra unwittingly become the emira’s accomplice?

How did the emira’s second proposed sitting for a portrait end, and why did it end this way?

What grief had befallen the emira before her enslavement to the emir?

How had Isabella acquired the Book of Hours she shared with Zahra?

As the situation in the kingdom worsened, what proposal did Isabella make to Zahra?

Despite her reservations, what request by Isabella did Zahra fulfil before their parting?

How and why was Zahra gifted to the doctor, Netanel ha-Levis?

In addition to her name, what else did the doctor help restore to Zahra?

What sadness did the doctor confess to Zahra in relation to his son Benjamin?

Why did Zahra take it upon herself to record an illustrated version of the worldview of the

Jews for Benjamin and why did she decide to include her own image in the book’s painted

feast?

Despite her comfortable life, which two things did Zahra desire crave and why?

Hanna - Sarajevo, Spring, 1996

Discuss the irony behind Hanna’s thinking when she pondered the source of the hair in the

haggadah’s binding: “So why had an illuminator working in Spain, for a Jewish client, in the

manner of a European Christian, have used an Iranian paintbrush?”

After sighting the haggadah in its new secure case at the museum, what caused Hanna to make

an urgent request to see Ozren?

Which accusations did Hanna make when she confronted Ozren and Werner?

What reason did Hanna give for doubting the haggadah’s authenticity and how did she

interpret her feelings when she was filled with self-doubt?

In response to Hanna’s intention to report the apparent crime to the UN, what did Ozren mean

when he said to her: “You will be sowing intercommunal dissent over the very artifact that

was meant to stand for the survival of our multi-ethnic ideal.”

Lola - Jerusalem, 2002

How was Lola reunited with Branko and what kind of life did they share after they were

married?

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What did Branko prevent Lola from doing in relation to her saviour, Effendi Kamal, that

caused her much grief?

What did Lola learn of the family members she had left behind?

Why did Lola feel a sense of relief when she learnt that Effendi had died in later life?

What led Lola to the discovery of the haggadah in the library where she worked as a cleaner?

Hanna - Arnhem Land, Gunumeleng, 2002

Why had Hanna’s mother asked her to keep her paternity a secret and what was Hanna’s

passionate response?

How did the meeting with her mother end and what was the long-term outcome of the

argument?

How did her new position in the Foundation lead to a change in Hanna’s outlook and

situation?

Along with her change in career focus, her location and her appearance, what else did Hanna

change about herself?

When Hanna was asked by a DFAT representative to travel to Sydney, what did seeing the

genuine haggadah invoke in her?

Why did Hanna feel a sense of betrayal during her discussions with Keith Lowery and

Yamitai Yomtov?

According to the two men, why had Ozren and Werner escaped conviction for their

deception?

How did Ozren receive Hanna when she first arrived in Sarajevo and what confession did he

make?

What was Ozren’s excuse for his part in the deception six years earlier?

What had been Werner’s apparent motivation for wanting to return the genuine haggadah to

the Jewish people?

How did Hanna discover the name of the artist responsible for the illuminations during the

replacement of the fake with the original haggadah?

What were Hanna’s plans regarding further investigations after she discovered the artist’s

identity?

Why did Hanna argue against burning the fake haggadah?

Which item had Hanna placed between the first and last quires of the genuine haggadah

during her conservation work and what did she hope would result from this action?

Afterword

Read this section with students and discuss the historical fiction genre and its capacity to reinvent

history through the eyes of those who lived it. Also discuss the author’s comments regarding the use of

fact and its reinterpretation in the novel. Ask students to comment on their appreciation of this genre

and its role in teaching history from a different, more personal, perspective.

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Curriculum Topics

SOSE/HSIE

In this curriculum area there are a number of topics teachers and students might explore such as:

the war in Bosnia and the history of Bosnia

family relationships and the effect of secrets and lies

the work of a conservator of medieval manuscripts (Reread pp. 4-6 and 11-12). Students

might explore the job itself, the tools needed to perform the work and any other special facts.

theories that seek to explain the presence of illustrations in the Sarajevo haggadah

the traditions of the Italian Carnivale

medieval torture

gambling addiction and the potential repercussions or those affected by it

the practice of book burning and its significance

Literacy & language

Write a diary entry that reflects on Hanna’s experience of conserving the haggadah; try and

capture her sense of wonder and the passion she has for her work.

Discuss the structure of the novel and its level of success in juxtaposing Hanna’s explorations

into the history of the haggadah against the events that actually shaped its history.

The novel is written in the first person. How does this provide an insight into the life of the

characters?

Creative Arts

Research and describe the difference between book restoration and conservation? (Ref. pp.

17-18)

Choose and dramatise a scene from the novel.

Create an improvisation expressing the emotions conveyed in a dramatic scene such as the

exchange between Hanna and her mother when Hanna finally learns about her past.

Create a poster calling for a stop to the war in Bosnia or the persecution of Jews or other

religious or ethnic minorities.

Design a leaflet to advertise the problems outlined in the novel.

Write your own blurb and design a new cover for the book

Create an illustration, either colour or black and white, to depict a character, scene or a

particular location from the novel.

Health & Personal development

Research the health, diseases and medical treatments of one of the time periods in the novel.

Fiction resources

Once by Morris Gleitzman

Plots and Players by Pamela Melnikoff

Daughter of Venice by Donna Jo Napoli

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The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank

The First Book of Samuel by Ursula Dubosarsky

Theodora’s Gift by Ursula Dubosarsky

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I Am David by A. Holm

Hanna’s Suitcase; a true story by K. Levine

Internet resources

Haggadah

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarajevo_Haggadah

http://www.talmud.de/sarajevo/

http://www.zemaljskimuzej.ba/english/about_us.htm

http://www.jtsa.edu/x5182.xml

Bosnian war

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Sarajevo

http://www.onwar.com/aced/chrono/c1900s/yr90/fbosnia1992.htm

Medieval manuscript conservation

http://images.google.com.au/images?hl=en&q=medieval+manuscript+conservation+history&um=1&ie

=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

http://images.google.com.au/images?svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&q=haggadah&btnG=Search+Images

Bosnia and Herzegovina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina

http://www.europe-atlas.com/bosnia-herzegovina.htm

http://www.tourism.ba/eng/federation.wbsp

Jewish history

http://www.jewishmuseum.com.au/

History of the Moors in Spain

http://www.spanish-fiestas.com/andalucia/history-moorish-spain.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moors

Gambling

http://www.problemgambling.vic.gov.au/problemgambling/

http://www.relationships.com.au/what-we-do/services/problem-gambling

Carnivale

http://www.veniceonline.it/Carnival/Carnival.asp

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Spanish Inquisition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Spain

http://www.geocities.com/iberianinquisition/

The practice of book burning

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_burning

http://fcit.usf.edu/HOLOCAUST/gallery/01622.htm

http://www.ronaldbrucemeyer.com/rants/0510almanac.htm

General history resources

http://www.scholastic.co.uk/zone/book_horr-histories.htm

http://www.veniceonline.it/CapsuleOfHistory.asp

http://www.historyforkids.org/

Aboriginal rock art

http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/kakadu/artculture/art/

http://images.google.com.au/images?q=aboriginal+rock+art&hl=en&cr=countryAU&um=1&ie=UTF-

8&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title