We live in the Seatle area, and the Puget Sound is everywhere. We can’t drive more than 10 minutes without seeing the water or needing a ferry, or a bridge to get over it. I’ve lived in areas without much water, and it always made me appreciate coming back to this area.
Swift River by Essie Chambers, “is a family saga about the complicated bond between mothers and daughters.”
Here’s the synopsis:
“It’s the summer of 1987 in Swift River, and Diamond Newberry is learning how to drive. Ever since her Pop disappeared seven years ago, she and her mother hitchhike everywhere they go. But that’s not the only reason Diamond stands out: she’s teased relentlessly about her weight, and since Pop’s been gone, she is the only Black person in all of Swift River. This summer, Ma is determined to declare Pop legally dead so that they can collect his life insurance money, get their house back from the bank, and finally move on.
But when Diamond receives a letter from a relative she’s never met, key elements of Pop’s life are uncovered, and she is introduced to two generations of African American Newberry women, whose lives span the 20th century and reveal a much larger picture of prejudice and abandonment, of love and devotion. As pieces of their shared past become clearer, Diamond gains a sense of her place in the world and in her family. But how will what she’s learned of the past change her future?
Ann Napolitano said “..Swift River broke my heart, and then offered me hope.”
This is one of those books you’re not going to want to miss!
Thank you @simonbooks for this gifted copy!
Swift River will be available on 6/4/24! You can find it on our Amazon storefront!
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