The Riverhaven Book Club

by John Mercurio

The bank of a river in the tiny town of Riverhaven in North Carolina. It is 1969. Here, by the river’s side, live Claire, Shoaly and Floyd – each in his or her own way trapped by the river. But when two strangers arrive in town with a package full of copies of William Blakes Songs of Innocence and Experience, Shoaly sees it as an opportunity for them all to escape their hardship. He begins a book club and grudgingly, the others agree to try it. The first meeting is somewhat of a disaster. No one understands a word of the poems. Just the word “hoary” has Alice in an uproar. But with Shoaly’s guidance, they begin to see beyond the page and to immerse themselves in the words and soon enough, they’re able to find the courage to face certain secrets from their past and make changes in their lives.

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