Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva is the 22nd book in the Gabriel Allon series, where the retired Israeli spy is investigating an art forgery ring

While I certainly enjoyed reading much of it, I thought that after 1,200+ pages, that the ending was rushed, with three minor characters closing it.

But then, a strange thing happened – I started to enjoy this chapter very much. Especially when I figure out the meanings and the playfulness of the words

Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon was a French writer known for his poetry and tragedies, many consider him a better tragic poet than Voltaire

This chapter is mostly about English history. The children, with Handsome John, Phyllis, and others go to look at the English Civil War, and Oliver Cromwell

A small, but significant slice of history. The village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon became part of a wide network to rescue Jews from the Nazi killing machine

This is an excellent novel that’s difficult to like, there are no likeable characters and the protagonist is not one you could root for

Alphonse de Lamartine was a poet, author, and statement from French. He is remembered for being a key player in the foundation of the Second Republic

The Books of Jacob is a superb masterpiece. In my humble, layperson’s opinion, the book is in the same class as Tolstoy’s War and Peace.

The Ghetto Within by Santiago H. Amigorena also deals with issues of identity, as many immigrants do. Are they Argentina? Polish? Polish-Argentinian? Jewish?