The Librarian of Burned Books: A Novel

The following year, Viv sneaks into a luxury restaurant in preparation to confront her nemesis, Senator Taft. She sits down at his table and shows him a number of novels that will soon be banned from the Armed Services Editions literature program as a result of Taft’s proposed censorship law. Taft argues that he’s only trying to restrict books with an overt political agenda. Viv tries to appeal to Taft’s humanity, arguing that the books bring soldiers hope. Taft, however, is unmoved.

The young American writer Althea James has just arrived in Berlin and is utterly enchanted. She has been invited as part of a cultural initiative that brings American writers of German heritage to Germany. She explores with her liaison, Professor Diedrich Müller, who is charming and flirtatious. Althea worries that she will fall short of his expectations.

Leaving Diedrich behind, Althea finds herself at an outdoor book market. A vendor offers her a book as a gift, and she offers one of her own in return: Alice in Wonderland. Diedrich finds her and they go out to dinner, although he is distant and distracted. Althea considers her German heritage and the success of her debut novel, The Unfractured Light. Diedrich recommends a book for Althea to read: Mein Kampf by Adolph Hitler.

Viv meets her friend Harrison, a prominent editor. He’s attempting to proposition a young woman, but Viv interrupts and sends her away. They discuss recent political developments, including an act that allows soldiers to vote and Taft’s new censorship policy. Viv recounts her failure to sway Taft at the restaurant. They brainstorm possible plans to bring him down. Before they leave, Harrison recommends Viv visit a place called The American Library of Nazi-Banned Books.

In Paris, Hannah Brecht visits her favorite pastry shop and chats with the proprietress Marceline. Afterwards, Hannah bikes around the city distributing pamphlets for the German Library of Burned Books. On the way, she considers her brother Adam, who was arrested because Hannah trusted a woman named Althea.

She enters a Jewish violin shop, which holds secret resistance meetings. While Hannah agrees with the cause, she doesn’t approve of violent actions. She and the shopkeepers’ grandson, Lucien, briefly visit over tea and discuss Hannah’s past experience of resistance meetings in Berlin, and the inevitability of all-out war. Despite Lucien’s entreaties, Hannah declines to come to his meeting. When she emerges from the shop, a man spits at her for being Jewish.

Viv arrives at the Library of Burned Books and meets the librarian, who offers her a cup of tea. They discuss the library's opening on the anniversary of Berlin’s horrific book burnings. The librarian confesses that she was in Berlin when it happened. The library attempts to catalog and preserve the books that were destroyed. Viv starts to see the woman as a guardian of books. Viv introduces herself, but the librarian declines to give her own name. Viv tells her about her work at the Council on Books in Wartime and the ASEs initiative. Viv ponders how to find the right narrative to present to Taft.

Althea sees a mob of people celebrating Hitler’s appointment as chancellor. She becomes swept up in the excitement and thinks about how she feels more at home here in Berlin than she did in her mundane life in Maine. At home, she was an outsider who had escaped into stories and, later, creative writing.

The crowd moves through the city to Hitler’s home, where he comes to the window and silently greets his fans. They begin a party in the street, and Althea meets Diedrich and another aspiring politician, Joseph Goebbels. Diedrich shares his delight at the appointment with Althea, promising a better future ahead.

Viv arrives at the headquarters of the Council of Books and receives a bag of letters from grateful ASEs recipients. She speaks with the council head, Mr. Stern, who is reproving of her run-in with Taft. Viv argues that they should continue fighting. She proposes they hold a widely-publicized event encouraging the public and law officials to revisit the censorship amendment. To convince Mr. Stern of her plan, she shares one of the soldiers’ letters. It describes a young soldier from San Francisco, whom they nicknamed “Cisco,” who enthusiastically shared a book he’d gotten from the ASEs program. Mr. Stern agrees to support Viv’s plan.

Hannah arrives at work at the Library of Burned Books and considers her relationship with her Jewish heritage. Since arriving in Paris, she has felt a deeper connection with her Jewish heritage and observed its holidays.

Hannah’s best friend Otto arrives, looking disheveled. He tells Hannah that the Nazis will be holding a book exposition of approved literature. Otto wants to come up with a plan to subvert them. They plan to meet later that evening. Once Hannah arrives at their favorite cafe, she’s concerned by Otto’s rash attitude towards the German officials. He reminds her too much of Adam.

On her way home, Viv meets a bookseller and purchases a copy of Oliver Twist. She considers her relationship with Edward, which was rooted more in friendship than in romantic love. She arrives home at the apartment she shares with Edward’s mother Charlotte and tells her she needs to seek help from Edward’s brother Hale. Hale was Viv’s first love and was born out of his father’s affairs. It was only through Charlotte’s intervention that his father acknowledged and supported Hale. Now, years later, Charlotte still attempts to be part of Hale’s life. Viv considers how Charlotte has a misguided idea of Viv’s marriage with Edward.

Althea navigates her way through a party, which she’s required to attend as a participant in her exchange program. She speaks with a vain and pretentious woman named Helene, who is a passionate supporter of Hitler. Althea feels that the luster of her time in Nazi company is beginning to wear off.

The women are approached by another, Deveraux Charles, who introduces herself as an actress and screenwriter in Berlin through the same writer residency program. Althea is impressed by Deveraux’s sophistication and sex appeal. Helene casually mentions the communist threat that Germany is facing, and Hitler’s attempts to “Aryanize” their community. When Althea begins to protest, Deveraux leads her away and cautions her against questioning her hosts.