READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY - "I've been an
Allegra Goodman fan for years, but Sam is hands down my new favorite.
I loved this powerful and endearing portrait of a girl who must summon
deep within herself the grit and wisdom to grow up."--Lily King, New
York Times bestselling author of Writers & Lovers
NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE - What happens to a girl's sense of
joy and belonging--to her belief in herself--as she becomes a woman?
This unforgettable portrait of coming-of-age offers subtle yet powerful
reflections on class, parenthood, addiction, lust, and the irrepressible
power of dreams.
"There is a girl, and her name is Sam." So begins Allegra Goodman's
moving and wise new novel.
Sam is seven years old and living in Beverly, Massachusetts. She adores
her father, though he isn't around much. Her mother struggles to make
ends meet, and never fails to remind Sam that if she studies hard and
acts responsibly, adulthood will be easier--more secure and comfortable.
But comfort and security are of little interest to Sam. She doesn't fit
in at school, where the other girls have the right shade of blue jeans
and don't question the rules. She doesn't care about jeans or rules. All
she wants to climb. Hanging from the highest limbs of the tallest trees,
scaling the side of a building, Sam feels free.
As a teenager, Sam begins to doubt herself. She yearns to be noticed,
even as she wants to disappear. When her climbing coach takes an
interest in her, his attention is more complicated than she anticipated.
She resents her father's erratic behavior, but she grieves after he's
gone. And she resists her mother's attempts to plan for her future, even
as that future draws closer.
The simplicity of this tender, emotionally honest novel is what makes it
so powerful. Sam by Allegra Goodman will break your heart, but will
also leave you full of hope.
