Tatiana de Rosnay: The Story Behind SARAH'S KEY
Today's guest blogger, Tatiana de Rosnay, shares insights into her novel Sarah's Key, which intertwines the story of a 10-year-old Jewish girl in Paris in 1942 with that of an American journalist sixty years later. Tatiana, who is of French, English and Russian descent and lives in Paris, talks about how she came to write the novel...and why it changed it her life.
One of most wonderful things I've learned through Sarah's Key and the feedback I've been getting from readers all over the world --- and particularly American book clubs --- is that as a writer, you can really reach out and touch people in every sense of the word and that they want to thank you for it. I love it when my readers email me or tell me "they couldn't put my book down" and had to stay up all night to read it! I also love it when my readers recommend my books to their friends and family.
I hope you will enjoy following my heroine Julia Jarmond, an American journalist based in Paris, married to a Frenchman. Commissioned to research the great "Vel d'Hiv" round-up of Jewish families that took place in occupied Paris during the war, Julia stumbles upon a family secret. But in her ardent quest for truth, she opens Pandora's Box. As a mother, as a wife and as a woman, nothing will be the same for Julia again. Sarah's Key is a story of loss, family secrets and silence that spanned sixty years. France's darkest days and the scars still left today are keenly examined in a tale of two families linked by silence and sorrow. Sarah's Key is the story of a woman and a man who were never meant to meet.
I wrote Sarah's Key in a way I had never written any other book before. I guess you can say I wrote it with my guts. This was the first time in my life I was writing a book about something that actually happened so I was very careful with dates and places. Some of the passages were very hard to write because I knew this is how it had really happened. This is what happened to those children, to those families.
After I'd written about 20 pages, I gave them to my husband, Nicolas, to read, as he is my first reader. I noticed he was taking a long time reading them, and I wondered why. Then he said to me when he had finished, "This is good, very powerful, you must go on." And then he asked, "Why did you write it in English?" (He is French and not bilingual like me.) I hadn't even noticed I had written it in my mother tongue. It was a surprise! But I knew why. Being half French, half English, I felt I had to retreat into my English side to write about this dark part of French history. So I went on writing Sarah's Key in English, although my previous published books were all in French. Also, having an American heroine, Julia, made it impossible for me to envisage her speaking in French. Many of my readers think I'm Julia Jarmond. No, I'm not. I am French, she is American, her husband is not mine, thank God! And her marriage is not mine either! But I guess Julia and I share the same horror, the same emotion, concerning the fate of the Vel d'Hiv children.
Writing this book has changed my life. I learned the truth about a certain part of my country's history. I learned it late and I learned it hard, and I still feel a scar when I think about those children. I am French, and this happened in my country, sixty-six years ago, in my city, just ten minutes from where I live.
When I recently toured the USA last November for Sarah's Key with the Jewish Book Council, I realized how much my book was being read and discussed for book clubs. I was, of course, thrilled. As an Anglo-French writer based in France, I must admit that in my country book clubs aren't so big, alas.
If you want to contact me about Sarah's Key, and if you would like me to call in to your book club and answer a few questions, please contact me on my brand new website at the book club page: http://www.tatianaderosnay.com/.
I'd be very happy to hear from you and your book club!
All best from France,
Tatiana de Rosnay
One of most wonderful things I've learned through Sarah's Key and the feedback I've been getting from readers all over the world --- and particularly American book clubs --- is that as a writer, you can really reach out and touch people in every sense of the word and that they want to thank you for it. I love it when my readers email me or tell me "they couldn't put my book down" and had to stay up all night to read it! I also love it when my readers recommend my books to their friends and family.I hope you will enjoy following my heroine Julia Jarmond, an American journalist based in Paris, married to a Frenchman. Commissioned to research the great "Vel d'Hiv" round-up of Jewish families that took place in occupied Paris during the war, Julia stumbles upon a family secret. But in her ardent quest for truth, she opens Pandora's Box. As a mother, as a wife and as a woman, nothing will be the same for Julia again. Sarah's Key is a story of loss, family secrets and silence that spanned sixty years. France's darkest days and the scars still left today are keenly examined in a tale of two families linked by silence and sorrow. Sarah's Key is the story of a woman and a man who were never meant to meet.
I wrote Sarah's Key in a way I had never written any other book before. I guess you can say I wrote it with my guts. This was the first time in my life I was writing a book about something that actually happened so I was very careful with dates and places. Some of the passages were very hard to write because I knew this is how it had really happened. This is what happened to those children, to those families.
After I'd written about 20 pages, I gave them to my husband, Nicolas, to read, as he is my first reader. I noticed he was taking a long time reading them, and I wondered why. Then he said to me when he had finished, "This is good, very powerful, you must go on." And then he asked, "Why did you write it in English?" (He is French and not bilingual like me.) I hadn't even noticed I had written it in my mother tongue. It was a surprise! But I knew why. Being half French, half English, I felt I had to retreat into my English side to write about this dark part of French history. So I went on writing Sarah's Key in English, although my previous published books were all in French. Also, having an American heroine, Julia, made it impossible for me to envisage her speaking in French. Many of my readers think I'm Julia Jarmond. No, I'm not. I am French, she is American, her husband is not mine, thank God! And her marriage is not mine either! But I guess Julia and I share the same horror, the same emotion, concerning the fate of the Vel d'Hiv children.
Writing this book has changed my life. I learned the truth about a certain part of my country's history. I learned it late and I learned it hard, and I still feel a scar when I think about those children. I am French, and this happened in my country, sixty-six years ago, in my city, just ten minutes from where I live.
When I recently toured the USA last November for Sarah's Key with the Jewish Book Council, I realized how much my book was being read and discussed for book clubs. I was, of course, thrilled. As an Anglo-French writer based in France, I must admit that in my country book clubs aren't so big, alas.
If you want to contact me about Sarah's Key, and if you would like me to call in to your book club and answer a few questions, please contact me on my brand new website at the book club page: http://www.tatianaderosnay.com/.
I'd be very happy to hear from you and your book club!
All best from France,
Tatiana de Rosnay
posted by Carol Fitzgerald at
9:01 AM
12 Comments:
Thank you for writing this book. I had never heard of the great "Vel d'Hiv" round-up before this. I agree with your husband that it is a powerful book. I won a few copies, which I am sharing with my book club, and I hope they find it as good as I did.
I loved your book. Very powerful and even though I had never heard of the Vel d'Hiv, it is something I will remember always. I would love for my book club to read it.
I really enjoyed your book. Just when I think I have learned about most of the facets of World War II, I read your book and learn about the "Vel d'Hiv". Although it is a sad story, it is one that needs to be remembered and learned from; thank you for sharing it with all of us.
I picked up your book by accident, but after reading it, I realized it was not accidental. I have been a Docent at the Holocaust Museum Houston for the past seven years and never had heard about Vel d'Hiv. I have researched the situation and now have incorporated it into my lecture. I have recommended your book to all of our Docents as a "Must Read". Thank you for this book.
Thank you all very much.
TR
I just read this book recently and couldn't put it down. It touched me deeply. I also had not heard about this incident in history. I have been sharing this book with my friends at work and they have all enjoyed it as much as I did. It is a wonderful, touching story. Thank you so much.
'Sarah's Key' moved me profoundly. I had not heard about 'Vel d'Hiv, so it was very educational to read the book. I could not put it down, as was the case for all my friends I lent it to. Thank you! Thank you!
Merci beaucoup pour votre livre...
When I write from my heart, I find I write in Spanish. This is NOT the norm for me,since 99.9% of what I write is in English. It's curious that you wrote this in English. This must mean that it is coming from your heart. P.S. My son is named Nicolas. I like your husband and happy to hear he encouraged you!
My bookclub is reading it and I have recommended it to all that have seen me this summer!
Though I usually choose a non-fiction book for my book club, I was drawn to your story. I fought tears throughout the book. Knowing full well Sarah's brother could not have survived I still held out hope for him until I read the written words. It is so difficult to think such atrocities happen within our lifetime. I, like many others never learned of 'Vel d'Hiv until reading your book and will never forget. Thank-you
How wonderful that you let people know about the "Roundup", and to think that it is just now being brought to light. Being 86 yrs.old, I have read so many things that touched me, but nothing like this book, and the French police being the ones responsible when they even knew the people before the "Roundup"
Peggy
I finished reading Sarah's Key today and cannot seem to express how deeply it touched me. Thank you, Tatiana, for educating us about the Vel d'Hiv and intertwinning such rich, beautiful characters in your story. You have amnamazing gift and I am proud to say I was fortunate enough to experience your writings myself. I will never forget....
I recently joined a book club and this is the first book I read..I am deeply touched by this book and ..I personally have told at least ten people about it...two who got the book and like me..read it without putting it down...I also had never heard of the round up before...where have I been??...I am 63 and still learning..thank you for all your hard work...and write a sequel...we all would love it!!
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