Jenna Bush Hager chose Essie Chambers' debut novel "Swift River" for her June 2024 Read With Jenna selection.
"'Swift River' is a story filled with secrets: community secrets and family secrets," Jenna told TODAY. "It is a book that made me cry and then filled me with enormous hope."
Once you have completed the generational saga, you need not look further for your next read.
Author Chambers recommends five novels similar to her own, each guaranteed to satisfy your craving for another riveting familial tale.
"Sing, Unburied, Sing" by Jesmyn Ward
Jesmyn Ward's "Sing, Unburied, Sing" chronicles the saga of a dysfunctional family in the fictional town of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi.
Shifting among three troubled narrators, the novel delves into intricate family dynamics and the enduring impact of life in a racist and violent world.
"Everything I Never Told You" by Celeste Ng
Celeste Ng's 2014 debut novel "Everything I Never Told You" is the poignant account of a Chinese American family in Middlewood, a fictional town in Ohio. The story blends one family's tragedy with the big-picture impact of racism and the effects of remaining unseen and unaccepted on a person's self-esteem.
"Caucasia" by Danzy Senna
"Caucasia," Danzy Senna's debut novel from 1998, is a coming-of-age story set in mid-1970s Boston, Massachusetts. It centers on Birdie Lee, a biracial teenager navigating the complexities of racial identity and a sense of belonging.
"Red at the Bone" by Jacqueline Woodson
Jacqueline Woodson's "Red at the Bone" considers themes of sexual identity, gentrification and the lasting effects of parenthood. The narrative provides a heartwarming portrayal of two contrasting families brought together as a result of a teenage pregnancy.
"Such A Fun Age" by Kiley Reid
Kiley Reid's 2019 debut novel, "Such a Fun Age," centers on Emira, a young Black woman in Philadelphia who works as a babysitter for an affluent white family. Then, she's wrongly accused of abducting the child she cares for.
