A searing and compassionate new novel about a young Black nurse’s shocking discovery and burning quest for justice in post-segregation Alabama, from the New York Times bestselling author of Wench.
Montgomery, Alabama, 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend intends to make a difference, especially in her African American community. At the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, she hopes to help women shape their destinies, to make their own choices for their lives and bodies.
But when her first week on the job takes her along a dusty country road to a worn-down one-room cabin, Civil is shocked to learn that her new patients, Erica and India, are children—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 the family’s welfare benefits, that’s reason enough to have the girls on birth control. As Civil grapples with her role, she takes India, Erica, and their family into her heart. Until one day she arrives at their door to learn the unthinkable has happened, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them.
Decades later, with her daughter grown and a long career in her wake, Dr. Civil Townsend is ready to retire, to find her peace, and to leave the past behind. But there are people and stories that refuse to be forgotten. That must not be forgotten.
Because history repeats what we don’t remember.
Inspired by true events and brimming with hope, Take My Hand is a stirring exploration of accountability and redemption.
“A jewel of a book…Perkins-Valdez’s grasp of large historical themes is matched by her attention to her characters’ lives, their existence so meticulously rendered that you can smell the fetid air of the Williams’s country hovel and the scent of the girls freshly bathed and slathered with cocoa butter....Take My Hand reminds us that truly extraordinary fiction is rarely written merely to entertain...Perkins-Valdez has done a fine job of building a structure and scaffolding that will not only endure but also bear the weight of future writers yearning to bring the past to readers afresh.” - Washington Post
"[An] impressive historical epic. Valdez's story and characters are deeply affecting and call attention to the importance of recognizing history's dark moments." - Newsweek
“Engrossing from the start….Throughout the novel, detailed descriptions command rapt attention. Between its sizable length and the immense amount of research and history poured into its more than 350 pages, Take My Hand is an excellent example of a Big Ambitious Novel by a 21st-century woman.” - The Associated Press
“A searing and ultimately hopeful novel about (in)justice and the importance of learning from history.” - Ms. Magazine
“An unforgettable novel about horrendous wrongs and the choice to fight back against them." - BuzzFeed
“In her newest novel, Dolen Perkins-Valdez probes the many ways institutional racism and classism inflicts lasting scars, especially on young Black women—and the grace, courage, and love needed to begin to heal those wounds. Deeply empathetic yet unflinching in its gaze, Take My Hand is an unforgettable exploration of responsibility and redemption, the dangers of good intentions, and the folly of believing anyone can decide what's best for another's life.” - Celeste Ng, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere
"Perhaps the most notable of this book's gifts are its deft packaging of history and its quiet nod—in the juxtaposition of timelines—to the reproductive oppression haunting Black women to this day. Like the most effective education, though, it feels that the information is streaming through the heart, awakening it and inspiring it to action." - San Francisco Chronicle
"Inspired by true events this story highlights the horrific discrepancies in our healthcare system and illustrates their heartbreaking consequences.” - Essence
“A heart-wrenching page-turner as relevant as ever, Perkins-Valdez presents a smart way in for Americans ready to illuminate history’s darkest corners so that we may forward meaningful change in the present.” - The AV Club
“…shot through with spirit and hope, it’s one hell of a book.” - Stylist (UK)
“Perkins-Valdez’s narrative, though tragic, brims with hope as one woman refuses to be silenced.” - Elle (UK)
“An utterly gripping tale from start to finish, Take My Hand is storytelling at its finest.” - Glamour (UK)
“Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s Take My Hand Reaches for Hard Truths” - Publishers Weekly (feature)
“There’s nothing better than settling down to read a novel and immediately sensing that you’re in the hands of a gifted storyteller.” - Bookpage (starred review)
“This powerful, timely novel is an excellent choice for bookclubs, as well as for readers of contemporary fiction featuring strong female characters.” - Booklist
“Vividly highlights the deep and lasting impact of injustice.” - Kirkus Reviews
"Dolen Perkins-Valdez pens a powerfully emotional tale that calls upon the many ways Black women create sisterhoods. The strength and courage the characters exhibit will stay with readers for a long time." - Sisters from AARP
