Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
A Well-Read Woman
A Well-Read Woman: The Life, Loves, and Legacy of Ruth Rappaport | Kate Stewart
6 posts | 6 read | 12 to read
The inspiring true story of an indomitable librarian's journey from Nazi Germany to Seattle to Vietnam--all for the love of books. Growing up under Fascist censorship in Nazi Germany, Ruth Rappaport absorbed a forbidden community of ideas in banned books. After fleeing her home in Leipzig at fifteen and losing both parents to the Holocaust, Ruth drifted between vocations, relationships, and countries, searching for belonging and purpose. When she found her calling in librarianship, Ruth became not only a witness to history but an agent for change as well. Culled from decades of diaries, letters, and photographs, this epic true story reveals a driven woman who survived persecution, political unrest, and personal trauma through a love of books. It traces her activism from the Zionist movement to the Red Scare to bibliotherapy in Vietnam and finally to the Library of Congress, where Ruth made an indelible mark and found a home. Connecting it all, one constant thread: Ruth's passion for the printed word, and the haven it provides--a haven that, as this singularly compelling biography proves, Ruth would spend her life making accessible to others. This wasn't just a career for Ruth Rappaport. It was her purpose.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
Beatlefan129
post image
Mehso-so

I can‘t help but feel like Ruth Rappaport would not have approved of this book. For example, the author notes that Ruth did not speak or write much in her diary about her parents deaths in a concentration camp. Well, maybe that was a very painful subject for her and she chose to keep it private. The author goes on long personal tangents regarding her own life and experience writing the book, none of which were particularly interesting or useful.

blurb
cherinium
post image

In my quest to become a #wellreadwoman, I signed up for #ReadingEurope2020. I've not attempted a year long challenge before, so I like the idea of a low pressure one. I can make this as simple or as difficult as I want for myself. I think I will set a low goal for myself...probably only 1-2 books per month. I need to check my #tbrshelves for selections I already own! More information can be found on the hosts' feeds. @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

Librarybelle Hooray! So happy you‘re joining us! 4y
BarbaraBB Yay! Thanks for participating and sharing! 4y
26 likes2 comments
blurb
kspenmoll
post image
Eggs Pretty! And I like how you topped it with the orange candle 4y
70 likes2 comments
review
ssravp
post image
Mehso-so

There were some truly fascinating parts but I ended up skimming more than I thought I would.

Texreader Bummer. This one‘s on my near tbr list. 5y
11 likes1 comment
blurb
wallacereads
post image

Yep.