Sam - Read with Jenna

Informationen zum Autor Allegra Goodman is the author of five novels, two short story collections, and a novel for young readers. Her fiction has appeared in The New Yorker and elsewhere, and has been anthologized in The O. Henry Awards and Best American Short Stories . She lives with her family in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Klappentext 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. A VOGUE AND REAL SIMPLE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR “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. Leseprobe Chapter 1 There is a girl, and her name is Sam. She has a mother named Courtney and a dad who is sort of around, sort of not. He lives ten minutes away, but he is not always home. Courtney says that’s the whole point. “What is?” Sam asks. “He’s never anywhere.” “Yes, he is. He’s somewhere.” “Very funny,” Courtney says. Sam is seven and she never stops. She never helps either. Courtney is exhausted all the time—but it’s not just Sam. It’s Noah! Noah is two and he has a teddy named Bill. He got a plastic ark for his birthday, but he only has one lion and one zebra left. You can’t teach Noah. You can’t even scare him. He thinks no is his name. Sam climbs up inside the doorjambs to get away from him. If you want to know how, just take off your shoes. And socks! You have to be barefoot. Stand in the doorway to the kitchen and spread your feet as far apart as they can go. Wedge your feet into the frame. Inch one foot up. Then the other. Inch up some more. Stop, or you’ll bang your head! Just stay there. Brace your feet against the wood. Courtney says, You know what, Sam? This is getting old, because Sam likes to stay up there so long. It is not cute. The day her dad comes over, Sam tackles him. “Where were you? Are you back? When did you get back?” Before he can answer, she wedges herself into the doorframe. “Hey, monkey,” her dad says. “When did you learn to do that?” Courtney frowns. “A l...

Commentaire

Allegra Goodman has written a wonderful coming-of-age story. In Sam, the heights our heroine reaches are not so dizzying, but that she ascends at all is a reason to cheer. The Wall Street Journal

Sam is original, full of heart, and makes you think and feel. A coming-of-age tale for all ages. Good Morning America

A sensitive portrait of life lived along the poverty line in modern-day America. Allegra Goodman offers a . . . sympathetic reflection on the struggles of a girl s life. Anyone who has ever been the focus of a child s impossibly inflated regard will feel alternately charmed and gutted by [Sam]. Ron Charles, The Washington Post

An irresistible coming-of-age portrait . . . a profound and gorgeously written gem about the tough, tender route Sam must navigate grappling with friendships, love, insecurities and burgeoning womanhood to chart her own course. People

Goodman does a marvelous job of depicting this world of struggle and sacrifice, exhaustion and addiction, with neither condescension nor exaggeration. I admired Goodman s empathy, wisdom, and commitment to telling the story of one ostensibly simple but ultimately meaningful life. Priscilla Gilman, The Boston Globe

Sam is a novel for anyone who's witnessed a kid grow up, felt nostalgic, and yearned to watch the process all over again. Sam captures that unique magic of human development through the story of one steadfast girl. Minneapolis Star Tribune

What seems at first to be a simple coming-of-age story deepens under its own weight and shows itself to be a beautiful meditation on all the ways we love and fail each other. Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward

Sam is a deeply wise and empathetic portrait of this unforgettable girl, making her way into this tricky world and into the reader s life. Amy Bloom, New York Times bestselling author of In Love

Sam is one of the most evocative and tender examinations of youth that I ve ever read . . . One of the best writers around, Goodman has made something truly beautiful, evoking a feeling that is hard to name but stirs inside us with every line. Kevin Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here

Sam is about as perfect of a coming-of-age story I have ever read. It explores what happens when one girl loses the wonder of childhood the innocence of her early years only to reclaim her power and hope. Jenna Bush Hager, Today

Allegra Goodman s Sam stands out among realistic coming-of-age novels about contemporary American girlhood. We care deeply how Sam s story turns out, thanks to Goodman s brilliance and empathy. Bookpage

It s impressive how much emotional power is packed into this . . . contained story. Publishers Weekly

Détails du produit

• Auteurs: Allegra Goodman, Goodman Allegra
• Edition: Dial Books
• Langues: Anglais
• Format d'édition: Livre Broché
• Sortie: 03.01.2023
• EAN: 9780593596821
• ISBN: 978-0-593-59682-1
• Pages: 316
• Dimensions: 141 mm x 209 mm x 22 mm
• Catégories: Littérature > Littérature (récits); FICTION / Coming of Age, Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945), Fiction: special features, FICTION / Literary, FICTION / Romance / Romantic Comedy, Narrative theme: Coming of age, Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general