Overview

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.

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9781503904149

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Reviews

“Stewart is frank about Rappaport’s prickly personality…Those details, coupled with more admirable qualities like curiosity and drive, serve to make her an entertaining presence. A lively, chatty exploration of a life that veered in many intriguing directions.” —Kirkus Reviews “Stewart adeptly fleshes out the life and motivations of Rappaport…and succeeds in bringing to light a strong woman whose love of books helped inspire a life driven by purpose…Rappaport’s larger-than-life story will entrance readers.” —Library Journal “A wonderful, nuanced portrait of a singular woman whose life, though fraught with personal trauma, persecution, and political unrest, was grounded in an abiding love for books and reading and the solace they bring. An inspiring story told with genuine affection and respect.” —Booklist “If you’re a true bibliophile, you’ll enjoy the life story of Ruth Rappaport. It was her love of books that propelled her through life, from the restricted readings of Nazi Germany to the Library of Congress.” —Marie Claire “A Well-Read Woman: The Life, Loves and Legacy of Ruth Rappaport…is an enjoyable and sobering insight into the challenging and productive life of a twentieth-century librarian…[There] are evocative opportunities to better understand a compelling and complicated individual, and overall, A Well-Read Woman is an instructive read, illustrating the mesmerizing life of a truly unique individual.” —Jewish News “A highly readable and fully realized portrait of an outspoken and fiercely independent champion of intellectual freedom.” —Arizona Daily Star “A dazzling view into the life of a librarian who refused to walk the line.” —Tucson Weekly “With skill and sensitivity, Kate Stewart weaves this biography together with her own quest for information and insight…A Well-Read Woman is lively and chatty, entertaining, educational and well-researched, shedding light on the life of a little-known booklover who wanted to illuminate other people’s lives by making books accessible to them.” —Jewish Book Council

Stewart is frank about Rappaport's prickly personality...Those details, coupled with more admirable qualities like curiosity and drive, serve to make her an entertaining presence. A lively, chatty exploration of a life that veered in many intriguing directions. -Kirkus Reviews Stewart adeptly fleshes out the life and motivations of Rappaport...and succeeds in bringing to light a strong woman whose love of books helped inspire a life driven by purpose...Rappaport's larger-than-life story will entrance readers. -Library Journal A wonderful, nuanced portrait of a singular woman whose life, though fraught with personal trauma, persecution, and political unrest, was grounded in an abiding love for books and reading and the solace they bring. An inspiring story told with genuine affection and respect. -Booklist If you're a true bibliophile, you'll enjoy the life story of Ruth Rappaport. It was her love of books that propelled her through life, from the restricted readings of Nazi Germany to the Library of Congress. -Marie Claire A Well-Read Woman: The Life, Loves and Legacy of Ruth Rappaport...is an enjoyable and sobering insight into the challenging and productive life of a twentieth-century librarian...[There] are evocative opportunities to better understand a compelling and complicated individual, and overall, A Well-Read Woman is an instructive read, illustrating the mesmerizing life of a truly unique individual. -Jewish News A highly readable and fully realized portrait of an outspoken and fiercely independent champion of intellectual freedom. -Arizona Daily Star A dazzling view into the life of a librarian who refused to walk the line. -Tucson Weekly With skill and sensitivity, Kate Stewart weaves this biography together with her own quest for information and insight...A Well-Read Woman is lively and chatty, entertaining, educational and well-researched, shedding light on the life of a little-known booklover who wanted to illuminate other people's lives by making books accessible to them. -Jewish Book Council

Author Information

Kate Stewart is a third-generation librarian, born and raised in the Midwest. She graduated from Vassar College with a bachelor of arts in history and from the University of Iowa with master’s degrees in history and library science. She has worked as a librarian and archivist for ProQuest, the Library of Congress, and the US Senate in Washington, DC. She is currently an archivist at the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson, Arizona. Learn more about Kate at www.kate-stewart.com.

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