Her Story: Sam by Allegra Goodman

Book Discussion Group

This group explores stories of strong women, such as this tale of a teen who must decide who she wants to be in the face of what she's expected to do. Questions? E-mail dellerbrook@tscpl.org

Her Story: Exploring the Lives of Strong Women
Women have always shown strength in shaping their lives and the world around them. In this book discussion group we read and talk about fiction and nonfiction that highlights the courage, resilience and experiences of women past and present.

This month's book is Sam by Allegra Goodman.
There is a girl, and her name is Sam. She adores her father, though he isn't around much. Her mother, Courtney, struggles to make ends meet, and never fails to remind her daughter that her life should be different. Sam doesn't fit in at school, where the other girls have the right shade of blue jeans and don't question the rules. Sam doesn't care about jeans or rules. She just loves to climb--trees, fences, walls, the side of a building. When she's climbing, she discovers a place she belongs: she can turn off her brain, pain has a purpose, and it's okay if you want to win. As Sam grows into her teens, she grapples with self-doubt and insecurity for the first time. She yearns for her climbing coach to notice her, but his attention crosses boundaries she doesn't know how to resist. She wishes her father would leave for good, instead of always coming and going, but once he's gone, she realizes how much she's lost. She rages against her mother's constant pressure to plan for a more secure future, but also sees how hard she works and how much she sacrifices. Wrestling with who she wants to be in the face of what she's expected to do, Sam comes to understand that she alone can make her dreams come true.

Email dellerbrook@tscpl.org if you need help getting a copy of the book or have any other questions.

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