Swift River
A Read with Jenna Pick
Table of Contents
About The Book
Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction
Longlisted for The Center for Fiction 2024 First Novel Prize
A READ WITH JENNA TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB PICK | A National Bestseller | One of The Washington Post's Best Books of 2024 | An NPR Best Book of 2024 | An Elle Best Book of 2024 | A Boston Globe Best Book of 2024
“The book we all need to revive our souls” (Nicole Dennis-Benn): A sweeping family saga about the complicated bond between mothers and daughters, the disappearance of a father, and the long-hidden history of a declining New England mill town.
“A powerful novel about how our family history shapes us. Swift River broke my heart, and then offered me hope.” —Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful
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?
A story of first friendships, family secrets, and finding the courage to let go, Swift River is a sensational debut about how history shapes us and heralds the arrival of a major new literary talent.
About The Author
Essie Chambers earned her MFA in creative writing from Columbia University and has received fellowships from the MacDowell Vermont Studio Center, and Baldwin for the Arts. A former film and television executive, she was a producer on the documentary Descendant, which was released by the Obamas’ Higher Ground production company and Netflix in 2022. Swift River is her debut novel.
About The Readers
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (June 4, 2024)
- Runtime: 10 hours and 17 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781797174563
Raves and Reviews
"Narrator Shayna Small infuses teen angst throughout Chambers’s novel. Diamond, a biracial teen, is still reeling from her father’s death eight years ago. Narrating largely from Diamond’s point of view, Small skillfully uses nuanced voicings for the many conversations Diamond has with other characters. Small captures the teen’s pain when Ma has Pop declared dead in order to collect his insurance money. Rebelling, Diamond plans to run away from Swift River, with its racial slurs and body shaming. Small makes Diamond’s pain and confusion palpable when she discovers letters from her Auntie-Cousin Lena, delivered with Southern grace by Janina Edwards, and from Aunt Clara, performed with warmth by Robin Miles. The letters detail the family’s Swift River history and heritage."
– AudioFile Magazine
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Swift River Unabridged Audio Download 9781797174563
- Author Photo (jpg): Essie Chambers Photograph by Yekaterina Gyadu(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
