Books@Night (Zoom)

THIS MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON ZOOM.  LINKS WILL BE SENT VIA EMAIL.

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

The title of [this] novel leads readers to believe they are cracking the spine of a light beach read about a bygone era. The first few chapters reward these expectations, as the reader is immersed in the world of 1930’s Atlantic City. Yet the book soon takes a turn, tackling emotional themes and a storyline that becomes increasingly complex by the page.
What makes this novel fascinating is there are not many stories depicting Jewish immigrants already living for a generation in America in 1934. The novel centers on a Jewish family no longer struggling to assimilate, but rather dealing with the challenges of economic survival, antiSemitism, and intermarriage.–Jewish Book Council

Every summer Esther and Joseph Adler rent their house out to vacationers escaping to ‘America’s Playground’ and move into the small apartment above the bakery…where they raised their 2 daughters, Fannie and Florence. Florence, home from college, is determined to train to swim the English Channel, while Fannie remains on bedrest until the end of her pregnancy. The Adlers have also taken in a mysterious young woman whom they recently helped emigrate from Nazi Germany.
Tragedy strikes, and Esther decides to hide the truth until Fannie’s baby is born. This pulls the family into an elaborate web of secret-keeping and lies, bringing long-buried tensions…that reveal how quickly the act of protecting those we love can turn into betrayal and tragedy.–Goodreads