Mon May 12

Mon June 16

Mon July 14

Mon August 18

Mon September 15

 Mad River Book Club – Summer 2025 Selections

This summer, the Mad River Book Club embarks on a literary journey across time and place, exploring stories of resilience, injustice, and transformation. From a determined midwife solving a murder in 18th-century Maine to the stark divide between two Canadian communities, from a woman’s odyssey spanning Japan, India, and the U.S. to the laborers who built the Panama Canal, these books illuminate diverse themes, historical moments, and geographic landscapes.

We invite volunteers to lead the discussion on any of these wonderful books.

Happy Reading

Susan, Cathy and Barbara

 Monday, May 12 – The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and left an enduring mark on American history.

Maine, 1789: When a man's body is discovered encased in ice, Martha Ballard is called upon to determine the cause of death. As a midwife, she has intimate knowledge of the town’s secrets, including an alleged rape she documented months earlier—one of the accused now lying frozen in the Kennebec River. When her conclusions are challenged by a local physician, Martha takes it upon herself to uncover the truth. The Frozen River is a tense, atmospheric tale of justice, resilience, and a woman ahead of her time.

 Monday, June 16 – The Valley of the Birdtail by Andrew Stobo Sniderman & Douglas Sanderson
A powerful and eye-opening account of two neighboring Canadian communities—one Indigenous, one white—whose fates have been shaped by racism, inequality, and the struggle for reconciliation.

Separated by a valley and 150 years of history, Rossburn and the Waywayseecappo Indian Reserve stand as stark reminders of Canada’s fraught relationship with its Indigenous peoples. This narrative follows multiple generations from both communities, weaving personal stories into the larger fabric of the nation’s past and present. A story of injustice, resilience, and ultimately hope, The Valley of the Birdtail challenges us to rethink history and envision a path toward healing.

Monday, July 14 – Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
A sweeping, multi-generational novel that follows one woman’s journey from the aftermath of the Nagasaki bombing to the war on terror, exploring themes of love, loss, and the inescapable weight of history.

On August 9, 1945, Hiroko Tanaka steps onto her veranda wearing a kimono adorned with black cranes—moments before an atomic bomb changes her life forever. Marked by the burns on her back, she embarks on a journey from postwar Japan to India, where she finds solace with the family of her late fiancé. As she navigates the upheavals of Partition, Pakistan’s creation, and Cold War tensions, Hiroko’s fate intertwines with generations of families across continents, culminating in a gripping climax in post-9/11 America. Burnt Shadows is an epic tale of displacement, survival, and the unexpected ways lives become entangled.

 Monday, August 18 – The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez
A vivid, character-driven novel set during the construction of the Panama Canal, The Great Divide brings to life the struggles and ambitions of those whose labor and sacrifice shaped history.

Francisco, a Panamanian fisherman, resents the foreign forces transforming his homeland, while his son, Omar, sees working on the canal as an opportunity for a better future. Ada Bunting, a determined 16-year-old from Barbados, arrives as a stowaway in search of work to save her ailing sister. Meanwhile, scientist John Oswald is obsessed with eradicating malaria, even as his wife falls ill. As their paths intersect in an era of immense change, The Great Divide offers a searing yet empathetic look at the overlooked individuals who played a role in one of history’s greatest engineering feats.