#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - With richly layered characters and a
gripping moral dilemma that will lead readers to question everything
they know about privilege, power, and race, Small Great Things is the
stunning new page-turner from Jodi Picoult.
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
"[Picoult] offers a thought-provoking examination of racism in
America today, both overt and subtle. Her many readers will find much to
discuss in the pages of this topical, moving book."--Booklist (starred
review)
Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital
with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a
routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that
she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white
supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch
their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day,
the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery.
Does she obey orders or does she intervene?
Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a
serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her
case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race
in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's
counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her
family--especially her teenage son--as the case becomes a media
sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each
other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole
lives about others--and themselves--might be wrong.
With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles
race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion--and doesn't offer
easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a
writer at the top of her game.
Praise for Small Great Things
"Small Great Things is the most important novel Jodi Picoult has ever
written. . . . It will challenge her readers . . . [and] expand our
cultural conversation about race and prejudice."--The Washington
Post
"A novel that puts its finger on the very pulse of the nation that we
live in today . . . a fantastic read from beginning to end, as can
always be expected from Picoult, this novel maintains a steady,
page-turning pace that makes it hard for readers to put down."--San
Francisco Book Review
