Friends of the Lafayette Library presents author Barbara Quick at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 in the Don Tatzin Community Hall to discuss her book "What Disappears." Winner of the Discover: Great New Writers Prize for "Northern Edge," author of the 13-times translated international favorite "Vivaldi's Virgins" (currently in development as a mini-series), and an award-winning poet with a national platform, Quick has brought all her considerable artistry and skill together in her sumptuous fourth novel, a multi-generational saga peopled by the greatest dancers, artists, writers, designers, and trend-setters of the Belle Époque.
"What Disappears" begins in Tsarist Russia in the late 19th century and ends in Paris with the start of the First World War. One of two identical twins born to a Jewish family in dire political and financial straits, Zaneta is spirited out of an orphanage by a Catholic family from France. The other twin, Sonya - raised to believe her sister died at birth - has her life and livelihood shattered by the horrific 1903 pogrom in Kishinev. The twins come face to face as 29-year-old identical strangers in the doorway of Anna Pavlova's dressing-room when both find jobs in Paris with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, one as a seamstress and the other as a minor ballerina in the corps. The resulting complicated relationship brings to light the secrets they've kept even from themselves, affecting not only their lives but also the lives and fates of Sonya's three daughters. A meticulously researched page-turner of displacement, family dynamics, and cultural loss, "What Disappears" resonates for contemporary readers with its fast-moving plot and deep dive into the ways in which girls and women define their identity and search for meaning.
This free event is sponsored by the Friends of the Lafayette Library although registration is required and seating is limited. Register at tinyurl.com/Sweet-Nov22 for either in-person or Zoom attendance. The DTCH doors will be open at 6:45 p.m. for coffee and sweets before the talk. Orinda Books will be on site selling copies of the book. Please wear a facial mask, if you are not fully vaccinated.
"What Disappears" begins in Tsarist Russia in the late 19th century and ends in Paris with the start of the First World War. One of two identical twins born to a Jewish family in dire political and financial straits, Zaneta is spirited out of an orphanage by a Catholic family from France. The other twin, Sonya - raised to believe her sister died at birth - has her life and livelihood shattered by the horrific 1903 pogrom in Kishinev. The twins come face to face as 29-year-old identical strangers in the doorway of Anna Pavlova's dressing-room when both find jobs in Paris with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, one as a seamstress and the other as a minor ballerina in the corps. The resulting complicated relationship brings to light the secrets they've kept even from themselves, affecting not only their lives but also the lives and fates of Sonya's three daughters. A meticulously researched page-turner of displacement, family dynamics, and cultural loss, "What Disappears" resonates for contemporary readers with its fast-moving plot and deep dive into the ways in which girls and women define their identity and search for meaning.
This free event is sponsored by the Friends of the Lafayette Library although registration is required and seating is limited. Register at tinyurl.com/Sweet-Nov22 for either in-person or Zoom attendance. The DTCH doors will be open at 6:45 p.m. for coffee and sweets before the talk. Orinda Books will be on site selling copies of the book. Please wear a facial mask, if you are not fully vaccinated.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA