Book Club’s November read is ‘Swift River’ by Essie Chambers

Book Club

Essie Chambers will join Parkside Bookshop’s manager Clarissa Murphy on Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. for a live streamed discussion.

For Boston.com Book Club’s November pick, we are reading a “sweeping family saga” by the 2024 Barnes & Noble Discover Prize winning author Essie Chambers.

The novel is a coming of age story about a biracial teen in an all-white New England mill town, the complexity of mother-daughter relationships, and the disappearance of a father.

Chambers will join Parkside Bookshop’s manager Clarissa Murphy on Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. for a live streamed discussion.

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RSVP to the book discussion | Buy “Swift River” by Essie Chambers

What is “Swift River” about?

In the summer of 1987, in the rural town of Swift River, Diamond Newberry is learning how to drive. For years, she and her mother have had to rely on hitchhiking to get around ever since her father vanished without a trace.

But it’s not just their unusual way of traveling that makes Diamond stand out – she’s also bullied for her weight and, since her father’s disappearance, is the only Black person in town. Come summer, Diamond’s mother is set on officially declaring her father dead, which will allow them to claim his life insurance, save their home, and move on from the past.

But everything changes when Diamond receives a letter from a relative she never knew existed. The letter uncovers long-buried truths about her father’s life and introduces her to two generations of African American women from the Newberry family. As she learns about their struggles with prejudice, abandonment, and the deep love that connects them, Diamond begins to see herself and her family in a new light. With the past slowly revealing its secrets, she faces the question: How will what she learns reshape her future?

“Swift River” is an evocative and heartfelt debut novel about the bonds of family and friendship, the impact of hidden histories, and the courage it takes to embrace change. It’s a striking exploration of how the past influences the present, and introduces an exciting new voice in literature.

Who is author Essie Chambers?

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, Chambers was a producer on the documentary “Descendant,” which was released by the Obamas’ Higher Ground production company and Netflix in 2022. 

“Swift River” is Chambers’ debut novel. The book won the 2024 Barnes & Noble Discover Prize.

About Clarissa Murphy, Parkside Bookshop’s manager

Clarissa Murphy is the manager at Parkside Bookshop, a newly-opened sister-bookstore to Providence Bookshop, located in Boston’s South End neighborhood.

The bookstore opened on Labor Day and has been eagerly embraced by the South End community. 

“Multiple times a day people are coming in saying how excited they are that we’re here and how lovely it is to have a bookstore in the neighborhood,” Murphy said. Parkside Bookshop is the neighborhood’s second bookstore, alongside More Than Words.

Parkside Bookshop sells new books across genres as well as vinyl records and art supplies. The bookstore partners with neighborhood businesses for events, such as its recent “Pilates at Parkside” event with Impact Pilates. The store plans to prioritize an event series next year to continue strengthening community ties, Murphy said.

Murphy has been a bookseller for 16 years. As a self-described “huge bookworm,” she was drawn to bookselling from an early age and “eagerly awaited the day that I could apply for a bookstore job.” When she turned 16, Murphy joined Bunch of Grapes Bookstore on Martha’s Vineyard and hasn’t looked back from bookselling since.

“That was thrilling. I was hooked,” she said.

Murphy was a children’s bookseller at Brookline Booksmith for several years before joining Parkside. She was drawn to the new bookstore because of its location in the South End, which she called community-driven and in desperate need of more bookstores. 

“The South End hadn’t really had a bookstore for a long time, and that excited me. The community is really strong, it’s very neighborhood-y. People who live here are very invested in the history of the South End, in the local businesses. I was just thrilled to come on board with this new store at this corner of the city,” she said.

What critics are saying about the book

“A sparkling debut about a young girl you’ll never forget … Chambers weaves irony and gut-punch emotion throughout this gorgeous debut. With the smart and curious Diamond at its vibrant center, ‘Swift River’ has a real sense of humor… [and] shimmers and shines with acute observations and carefully crafted lines … Deceptively naturalistic and lyrical rather than showy, Chambers has produced a rare and rewarding thing: a fast-moving novel that you want to slow down and savor.” – Washington Post

“Powerful … Chambers’s sharply observed characters butt up against one another in funny and poignant ways. Diamond’s unexpected friendship with another girl propels the story in surprising directions, but it is Diamond’s fraught relationship with her mother that forms the heart of this ultimately hopeful coming-of-age story.” – The New Yorker

“Riveting … What’s most impactful about this story is that it dispels the myth that sundown towns only existed in the South. Swift River takes a deep dive into the psychological and historical trauma that accompanied living and navigating in a ‘sundown town,’ family secrets, and more.” – Essence

“Truly amazing. Such an incredible blend of intimate and epic, so smart and funny and honest and generous-spirited. I like plenty of books but I love a novel this much maybe just once or twice a year.”– Curtis Sittenfeld, New York Times bestselling author of “Romantic Comedy”

Join the virtual discussion

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