"Sam" by Allegra Goodman

A New Release Book Review

What are you passionate about? If you said “climbing”, you’d be Sam’s best friend. Sam, the protagonist (main character) of Allegra Goodman’s newest release by the same name, is passionate about climbing, too.

Goodman’s novel, Sam, was released on Jan 3, 2023 and was the first monthly pick of the year for Jenna Bush Hager’s Today Show book club. Though the hardback weighs in at 336 pages, it is one you won’t want to put down! The book follows the coming-of-age story of Sam’s life from ages seven to nineteen.

Sam matures in so many ways over the course of the novel, and as readers experience this with Sam, they laugh and cry right along with her. Sam doesn’t have a simple life. She faces obstacles including a broken family, abandonment issues, poverty, a half brother with many needs, and a young mother who works two jobs to try and keep her kids and herself afloat.

Sam eventually finds some relief in rock climbing. Sam’s struggling father gets her into the hobby. She puts her heart and soul into it, until. . . and then she quits for a time. Life knocks Sam off her strongholds, but not forever. She goes back to climbing and back to focusing on where life may take her.

I myself am a sucker for a coming-of-age story, and

this one did not disappoint! Goodman craftily pulls readers in with her down to earth, believable characters and story lines. The novel takes readers along Sam’s rollercoaster journey, and in doing so, allows readers to return to their own journeys as young people. The disappointments and mountaintops of adolescence come rushing back to life in readers’ minds. That is what makes Goodman’s Sam so engrossing. Readers will find themselves rooting for Sam - Bravo, Goodman. Bravo!

Allegra Goodman’s novel, Sam, can be purchased HERE.

About the Content Creator:

Nina Graue hails from southern Indiana where she is a full-time high school English teacher. An Indiana University grad, Nina is passionate about the Hoosiers, reading, writing, traveling, and having fun! Nina has the distinct honor of being an Indiana University School of Education Armstrong Educator Award recipient as well as being named an IU School of Education Teacher-in-Residence.

You can also follow Nina on Instagram- @ilovewords13 or her book club on Facebook - "Beyond Words Book Club". She would love to hear from you!