The acclaimed bestseller -- a selection of Oprah's Book Club -- that brings vividly to life the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, circa 1925, and a community reeling from a young girl's tragic death.When five-year-old Clara Bynum drowns in the Potomac River under a seemingly haunted rock outcropping known locally as the Three Sisters, the community must reconcile themselves to the bitter tragedy.Clarke powerful charts the fallout from Clara's death...

Discover the rich stories of The People of Russell's Knob in the 20th and 21st centuries in "Alive Nearby." This novel by best-selling historical fiction author Breena Clarke provides intricate backstories of the complex characters in "Angels Make Their Hope Here." The novel explores how Russell's Knob, a hidden and marooned town in New Jersey's highlands, managed to preserve its existence and vibrant history despite slavery, war, and Jim Crow. "Alive Nearby" brings to life the characters ...

Now more than ever, the strong, independent, courageous voices of Black women are being heard loud and clear. They share their truth about life, love, family, faith and hope in these 101 personal stories and 12 powerful poems. The world is listening.Black women are speaking, for themselves and their families, and everyone is listening. This unique collection of stories is for readers of all colors, not just the Black community, as these contributors share t...

"Passionate, dramatic, and uplifting" ( Washington Post), Stand the Storm is an "evocative, historically rich" novel ( Time) from the author of River, Cross My Heart set among the free African American community of pre-Civil War Washington, DC.Even though Sewing Annie Coats and her son, Gabriel, have managed to buy their freedom, their lives are still marked by constant struggle and sacrifice. Washington's Georgetown neighborhood,...

Russell's Knob is not paradise. But already in 1849 this New Jersey highlands settlement is home to a diverse population of blacks, whites, and reds who have intermarried and lived in relative harmony for generations. It is a haven for Dossie Bird, who has escaped north along the Underground Railroad and now feels the embrace of the Smoot family.Duncan Smoot presides as accidental patriarch, protector of his enterprising sister, Hattie, and his two rambunctious nephews. As Dossie bu...

Russell's Knob is not paradise. But already in 1849 this New Jersey highlands settlement is home to a diverse population of blacks, whites, and reds who have intermarried and lived in relative harmony for generations. It is a haven for Dossie Bird, who has escaped north along the Underground Railroad and now feels the embrace of the Smoot family.Duncan Smoot presides as accidental patriarch, protector of his enterprising sister, Hattie, and his two rambunctious nephews. As Dossie b...

The acclaimed bestseller—a selection of Oprah’s Book Club—that brings vividly to life the Georgetownneighborhood of Washington, DC, circa 1925, and a community reeling from a young girl’s tragic death.When five-year-old Clara Bynum drowns in the Potomac River under a seemingly haunted rock outcroppingknown locally as the Three Sisters, the community must reconcile themselves to the bitter tragedy.Clarke powerfully charts the fallout from Clara’s death on the p...

Even though Sewing Annie Coats and her son, Gabriel, have managed to buy their freedom, their lives are still marked by constant struggle and sacrifice. Washington's Georgetown neighborhood, where the Coatses operate a tailor's shop and laundry, is supposed to be a "promised land" for former slaves, but it is effectively a frontier town, gritty and dangerous, with no laws protecting black people.The remarkable emotional energy with which the Coatses wage their daily battles—as they...