AS SEEN ON BBC2 BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB
Montgomery, Alabama. 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend has big plans to make a difference in her community. She wants to help women make their own choices for their lives and bodies.
But when her first week on the job takes her down a dusty country road to a tumbledown cabin and into the heart of the Williams family, Civil learns there is more to her new role than she bargained for. Neither of the two young sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling their welfare benefits, that's reason enough to have them on birth control. When Civil discovers a terrible injustice, she must choose between carrying out instructions or following her heart and decides to risk everything to stand up for what is right.
Inspired by true events and a shocking chapter of recent history, Take My Hand is a novel that will open your eyes and break your heart. An unforgettable story about love and courage, it is also a timely and uplifting reminder that one person can change the world.
'Shot through with spirit and hope, it's one hell of a book' STYLIST
'Magnificent . . . I cheered out loud!' BONNIE GARMUS, author of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY
'Unforgettable' CELESTE NG, author of LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE
'Deeply moving . . . impossible to put down' AJ PEARCE, author of DEAR MRS BIRD
'A wonderful novel. Moving, powerful and completely absorbing' CATHY RENTZENBRINK, author of THE LAST ACT OF LOVE
'An unforgettable book whose characters will stay with me forever' EMMA STONEX, author of THE LAMPLIGHTERS
'Extraordinary . . . I could not put it down' EMILY ITAMI, author of FAULT LINES
'Utterly gripping . . . storytelling at its finest' GLAMOUR
'A jewel of a book . . . truly extraordinary' WASHINGTON POST
'Extraordinary and powerful . . . a must-read' PRIMA
'Superb . . . Absolutely brilliant' NIHAL ARTHANAYAKE
'As with all great historical fiction, Take My Hand speaks to the now' IRISH TIMES
'One of those books that you can't stop yourself reading even though your heart is breaking' DAMIAN BARR
Shot through with spirit and hope, it's one hell of a book' Stylist, Books You Can't Miss in 2022
Montgomery, Alabama. 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend has big plans to make a difference in her community. At the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, she intends to help women make their own choices for their lives and bodies.
But when her first week on the job takes her down a dusty country road to a tumbledown cabin, she's surprised to find that her new patients are just eleven and thirteen years old. Neither of the Williams sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling their welfare benefits, that's reason enough to have the girls on birth control. As Civil grapples with her new responsibilities, she takes India and Erica into her heart and comes to care for their family as though they were her own. But one day she arrives at their door to discover the unthinkable has happened, and nothing will ever be the same.
Inspired by true events and a shocking chapter of American history, Take My Hand is a novel that will open your eyes and break your heart. An unforgettable story about love and courage, sisterhood and solidarity, it is also a timely and hopeful reminder that it only takes one person to change the world.
