Book II, Vertical Time Summary

Ben arrives on Idhra at a time of refreshing winds. Like seafarers have for centuries, he gasps at the sight of the harbor. Having received Jakob's papers, Maurice worries that his journals are lost in the huge library. He is too weak to come himself. Ben searches for weeks, amazed at the collection's scope and constantly distracted by fascinating items. Ben pictures where Jakob might have buried the journals, like Jews across Eastern Europe and considers digging up the garden but, one bright morning, studying a dry-docked ship with a disorienting figurehead, he enters an upper floor and sees Jakob's private study tucked into the roof. It is filled with covered furniture, books, paintings, a collection of buttons, and nautical artifacts. He finds a forgotten kitchen. A jumble of sandals reminds Ben of his parents' shoes and...