250 Years of Us Book Club: The Frozen River

In the lead-up to America’s 250th anniversary, this book club explores history through both fiction and non-fiction that challenge familiar narratives and invite fresh perspectives on the American past. Each selection encourages readers to look beyond the textbook version of history and consider the people, choices, and hidden stories that shaped the nation.

March Selection: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

March’s selection blends historical fiction and true events to spotlight Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife whose diary offers a rare, detailed view of life in early America. The Frozen River follows a murder investigation in post-Revolutionary Maine, using Ballard’s observations to reveal the legal, social, and gender dynamics of the time. Through the lens of one woman’s meticulous records, the novel challenges traditional historical narratives and brings overlooked voices and everyday experiences to the forefront of America’s past.