The Book of Aron is a historical fiction novel by Jim Shepard, published May 12, 2015 by Knopf Publishing Group.

The Book of Aron
AuthorJim Shepard
LanguageEnglish
PublishedMay 12, 2015
PublisherKnopf Publishing Group
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (paperback, hardcover)
ISBN9781101874318

Reception

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The Book of Aron received starred reviews from Kirkus,[1] Library Journal,[2] Shelf Awareness,[3] and Booklist,[4] as well as positive reviews from The Guardian,[5] The Boston Globe,[6] The New York Times Book Review,[7] The Washington Post,[8] NPR,[9] The Seattle Times,[10] The Toronto Star,[11] and the Jewish Book Council.[12]

Writing for Booklist, Donna Seaman noted, "Shepard’s magnificent tour de force will hold a prominent place in the literature of compassionate outrage."[4]

Library Journal's Patrick Sullivan wrote, "Surrounded by devastation, hopelessness, and cruelty, [the main character] becomes an exemplar of all that is good and decent in the human spirit. Few will be able to read the last terrible, inspiring pages without tears in their eyes."[2]

Publishers Weekly provided a mixed review stating, "Shepard is a master with a light touch—but against the backdrop of the Holocaust, maybe a bit too light. Although this novel paints an unflinching portrait of the ghetto, many characters seem to stand in for ideas, and the limp plot is propped up only by Shepard’s eye for detail."[13]

Kirkus,[1] The Washington Post,[14] Buzzfeed,[15] The San Francisco Chronicle,[16] and Huffington Post[17] named The Book of Aron one of the best fiction books of the year.

Awards for The Book of Aron
Year Award Result Ref.
2016 Booklist's Best Historical Fiction Top 10 [18]
Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction Shortlist [19]
Reference and User Services Association's Notable Fiction Books Selection [20]
Sophie Brody Award Winner [21]
2015 Kirkus Prize for Fiction Finalist [1]
Booklist Editors' Choice for Adult Books Selection [22]
JJ Greenberg Memorial Award Finalist [23]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "The Book of Aron". Kirkus Reviews. 2015-02-17. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  2. ^ a b Sullivan, Patrick (2014-12-01). "The Book of Aron". Library Journal. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  3. ^ Freedenberg, Harvey (2015-05-26). "The Book of Aron". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  4. ^ a b Seaman, Donna (2015-04-15). "The Book of Aron". Booklist. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  5. ^ Ferris, Joshua (2015-07-01). "The Book of Aron by Jim Shepard review – a testament of love during the Holocaust". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  6. ^ Stuart, Jan (2015-06-09). "'The Book of Aron' by Jim Shepard". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  7. ^ Brooks, Geraldine (2015-05-22). "'The Book of Aron,' by Jim Shepard". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  8. ^ Charles, Ron (2015-04-28). "'The Book of Aron,' by Jim Shepard, is a masterpiece". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  9. ^ Schaub, Michael (2015-05-05). "No Easy Answers In 'The Book Of Aron'". NPR. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  10. ^ Upchurch, Michael (2015-06-14). "'The Book of Aron:' a child's- eye view of the Warsaw Ghetto". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  11. ^ Diebel, Linda (2015-05-16). "The Book of Aron by Jim Shepard: Review". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  12. ^ Waxman, Maron L. (2015-05-19). "The Book of Aron". Jewish Book Council. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  13. ^ "Fiction Book Review: The Book of Aron by Jim Shepard. Knopf, $22.95 (262p) ISBN 978-1-101-87431-8". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  14. ^ "The 10 best books of 2015". Washington Post. 2015-11-18. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  15. ^ Fitzgerald, Isaac (2015-11-30). "The 24 Best Fiction Books Of 2015". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  16. ^ "Best of 2015: 100 recommended books". San Francisco Chronicle. 2015-12-15. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  17. ^ Fallon, Claire; Crum, Maddie (2015-12-04). "The 18 Best Fiction Books Of 2015". HuffPost. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  18. ^ Seaman, Donna (2016-04-15). "Top 10 Historical Fiction: 2016". Booklist. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  19. ^ "Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction Finalists: 2016". Booklist. 2016-01-11. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  20. ^ "Notable Books: 2016". Booklist. 2016-03-01. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  21. ^ "Sophie Brody Medal". RUSA Update. 2016-11-17. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  22. ^ "Booklist Editors' Choice: Adult Books, 2015". Booklist. 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2022-01-05.
  23. ^ "Past Winners". Jewish Book Council. Retrieved 2022-01-06.