{"product_id":"and-after-the-fire-a-novel-isbn-9780062428516","title":"And After the Fire: A Novel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNational Jewish Book Award Winner!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e-bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eA Fierce Radiance\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eCity of Light\u003c\/em\u003e returns with a new powerful and passionate novel—inspired by historical events—about two women, one European and one American, and the mysterious choral masterpiece by Johann Sebastian Bach that changes both their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the ruins of Germany in 1945, at the end of World War II, American soldier Henry Sachs takes a souvenir, an old music manuscript, from a seemingly deserted mansion and mistakenly kills the girl who tries to stop him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn America in 2010, Henry’s niece, Susanna Kessler, struggles to rebuild her life after she experiences a devastating act of violence on the streets of New York City. When Henry dies soon after, she uncovers the long-hidden music manuscript. She becomes determined to discover what it is and to return it to its rightful owner, a journey that will challenge her preconceptions about herself and her family’s history—and also offer her an opportunity to finally make peace with the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Berlin, Germany, in 1783, amid the city’s glittering salons where aristocrats and commoners, Christians and Jews, mingle freely despite simmering anti-Semitism, Sara Itzig Levy, a renowned musician, conceals the manuscript of an anti-Jewish cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach, an unsettling gift to her from Bach’s son, her teacher. This work and its disturbing message will haunt Sara and her family for generations to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterweaving the stories of Susanna and Sara, and their families, \u003cem\u003eAnd After the Fire\u003c\/em\u003e traverses over two hundred years of history, from the eighteenth century through the Holocaust and into today, seamlessly melding past and present, real and imagined. Lauren Belfer’s deeply researched, evocative, and compelling narrative resonates with emotion and immediacy.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003eThis spellbinding new novel from Lauren Belfer, the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eA Fierce Radiance\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eCity of Light\u003c\/em\u003e, spans centuries and continents to reveal the secret history of a long-lost musical masterpiece—and the two women bound together by its troubled past.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSara Itzig Levy, the daughter of Frederick the Great’s banker, counts herself among the élite of late-eighteenth-century Berlin. A gifted harpsichordist, she hones her musical talents under Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, a son of Johann Sebastian Bach. Kindred spirits, the elderly maestro and his protégée enjoy a close friendship, but their time together is running out. Friedemann’s final gift to his dearest Sara is the original score of one of his father’s cantatas—yet, as she reads its libretto, her gratitude turns to horror. . . . \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn present-day New York City, Susanna Kessler enjoys a seemingly charmed life with a loving husband and a terrific job. Then a random, devastating act of violence tears it apart. Just as she’s beginning to recover, her beloved Uncle Henry kills himself. He leaves behind a cryptic note alluding to his haunting World War II experiences as an Allied soldier in Germany, and to an artifact he took from the war-ravaged country before returning home.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFramed by Susanna’s urgent search for the truth about the disturbing musical score her uncle bequeaths to her, Sara’s richly atmospheric narrative—studded with vibrant, real-life musical figures from Wilhelm Friedemann Bach to Beethoven to Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn—reveals the passions and politics of Enlightenment- and Romantic-era Berlin.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWealth might buy Jews an entrée into German society but, as Sara discovers, a dark anti-Semitism simmers all around her. And as Susanna attempts to fight her demons by plunging deeper and deeper into Sara’s world, harrowing questions about her own family’s past begin to surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdvance Praise for \u003cem\u003eAnd After the Fire\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It’s a remarkably suspenseful story, a literary thriller in the tradition of A. S. Byatt’s Possession.”—\u003cem\u003eKirkus\u003c\/em\u003e reviews\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A ‘what if’ novel that begins in the glittering salons of Enlightenment Berlin where, beneath the surface, are sentiments too sinister to be named and culminates in New York present day, And After the Fire is an intellectual thriller and a beautiful love story. What if you came into possession of a historical artifact with the power to alter history and change the world? Sure to establish Belfer as a fearless, provocative writer. Impossible to put down.”—Sara Gruen, #1 \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eAt the Water’s Edge\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eWater for Elephants\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Brilliant and mesmerizing. . . . Since reading And After the Fire, I’ve been trumpeting it as the best novel I’ve had the pleasure of reading in years.”—Elinor Lipman, \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThen She Found Me\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for Lauren Belfer’s previous novels\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Enthralling. . . . Belfer’s powerful portrayal of how people are changed in pursuit of a miracle makes this book an especially compelling read.”—Nancy Horan, \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eLoving Frank,\u003c\/em\u003e on \u003cem\u003eA Fierce Radiance\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A love story and murder mystery rolled into a panoramic family saga and industrial-espionage thriller. . . . Belfer’s prose is heartbreaking, as are her twin themes of love and betrayal.”—\u003cem\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/em\u003e on \u003cem\u003eA Fierce Radiance\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Impressive. . . . A stereopticon of a novel, sepia-tinged at the edges yet bursting with color at its center. . . . A powerfully atmospheric book.”—\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e on \u003cem\u003eCity of Light\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“An outstanding historical novel…. Compelling.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBookLoons.com\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In Belfer’s hands, fictitious characters blend uncannily with historical ones.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A fascinating historical novel and poignant love story that will open the eyes and ears of music lovers and please those who enjoy a graceful, spellbinding tale pondering important questions.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“One of the four best novels published to date in 2016.… The research and writing are… splendidly accomplished…. Brilliant.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAEQAI\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Engrossing. . . . A needy musicologist and his kid, a worldly woman haunted by trauma, the promise of the fabulous discovery of a lost and un-performable work by Johann Sebastian Bach—mix in greed and the drama that is modern New York—and you have the basis of a strong novel. Add to this generations of great names in music and culture, and you get a page-turner to love, even if you’re tone deaf. . . . a compelling and entertaining novel that will send you back to music.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWOSU Radio\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[Belfer’s] virtuoso novel…epitomizes Faulkner’s epigram that the past is never dead—or even past. . . . The novel swells with life’s great themes—love and death, family and faith —and the insistent, dark music of loss.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eUSA Today, ****\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A bold and hugely ambitious novel with the transfixing appeal of a best-seller…by a native daughter of the city whose talent is now even beyond the admiration of those of us so impressed by \u003cem\u003eCity of Light\u003c\/em\u003e.…Extraordinary.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBuffalo News\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Belfer is adept at revealing the complex politics and sentiments, including the religious biases, of 18th-century Europe. The important questions Belfer poses regarding the ethical complexities of art are engrossing.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBookPage\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This latest novel from Belfer…is her most compelling yet…. Told with lyrical beauty (in a tender love scene, the past exists with the present), the novel is like the lost cantata itself, revealing our capacity for darkness, redeemed by the power of unconditional love. A dazzling, transformative novel. Highly recommended.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHistorical Novel Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Highly readable…. Will delight readers of historical fiction, especially if they are music aficionados who like a good love story thrown into the works…. Belfer proves herself to be that skilled weaver of tales in this intellectual thriller.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Journal of Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“On as grand a scale as any Bach masterpiece, Belfer’s novel explores the composer’s religious music and its effect on two women living 300 years apart…. Powerfully and emotionally written…. A fascinating, compelling read.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRT Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Marvelous…. Meticulously structured…. Eloquently and elegantly written. The themes are important and engaging. It is not a novel one will put down easily or forget at its conclusion.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJewish Book Council\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Finely written historical fiction layered with richly detailed characters and moral complexity.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJane Ciabattari, BBC\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Blending the gorgeousness of Bach and the horror of anti-Semitism over several centuries should make for unsettling contemplation, and readers of Belfer’s…know that the author will be meticulous with both fact and fiction.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal, “Editors’ Spring Picks”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[A] compelling blend of fact and fiction.… Based on impressive research, this remarkable novel spans centuries and continents, touching finally on the Holocaust and serving as a paean to Bach’s music.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A different species of suspense tale…. Evocative, deeply researched…. Manage[s] to dazzle while delving into dark places.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMaureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Music pulses through this rich tale of love, morality, and a lost cantata…. Filled with history, gorgeous descriptions of music, and people both real and imagined.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWashington Independent Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A ‘what if’ novel that begins in the glittering salons of Enlightenment Berlin where, beneath the surface, are sentiments too sinister to be named and culminating in New York present day, \u003cem\u003eAnd After the Fire\u003c\/em\u003e is an intellectual thriller and a beautiful love story. What if you came into possession of an historical artifact with the power to alter history and change the world? Sure to establish Belfer as a fearless, provocative writer. Impossible to put down.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSara Gruen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Water for Elephants\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An intellectual thriller and a beautiful love story. What if you came into possession of an historical artifact with the power to alter history and change the world? Sure to establish Belfer as a fearless, provocative writer. Impossible to put down.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSara Gruen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Water for Elephants\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Brilliant and mesmerizing…. Since reading \u003cem\u003eAnd After the Fire\u003c\/em\u003e, I’ve been trumpeting it as the best novel I’ve had the pleasure of reading in years.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eElinor Lipman, New York Times bestselling author of Then She Found Me\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A remarkably suspenseful story, a literary thriller in the tradition of A.S. Byatt’s \u003cem\u003ePossession\u003c\/em\u003e.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Compelling…. An immersive, page-turning story emboldened by historical fact and a rich imagination.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44888820449509,"sku":"NP9780062428516","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780062428516.jpg?v=1730229892","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/and-after-the-fire-a-novel-isbn-9780062428516","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}