JourneyWoman Book Club: "The Paper Palace" by Miranda Cowley-Heller

Join us for our July Book club, hosted by Carolyn and Wendy.

July: "The Paper Palace"

Before anyone else is awake, on a perfect August morning, Elle Bishop heads out for a swim in the glorious freshwater pond below ‘The Paper Palace’ — the gently decaying summer camp in the back woods of Cape Cod where her family has spent every summer for generations. As she passes the house, Elle glances through the screen porch at the uncleared table from the dinner the previous evening; empty wine glasses, candle wax on the tablecloth, echoes of laughter of family and friends. Then she dives beneath the surface of the freezing water to the shocking memory of the sudden passionate encounter she had the night before, up against the wall behind the house, as her husband and mother chatted to the guests inside.

So begins a story that unfolds over twenty-four hours and across fifty years, as decades of family legacies, love, lies, secrets, and one unspeakable incident in her childhood lead Elle to the precipice of a life-changing decision. Over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the world she has made with her much-loved husband, Peter, and the life she imagined would be hers with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn’t forever changed the course of their lives.

A guest speaker will join us to talk about the location and provide tips and guidance.

Read more about our 2022 books, selected in partnership with TripFiction, here. Visit our Book Club Page for the latest news and updates. If you are buying this book online please consider supporting us by using the purchase links on our page here.

This event is open to all women; there is a small fee to participate which helps us cover costs and make a donation to a non-profit. We record all Book Club meetings on our YouTube channel; in registering you give us permission to share your image and comments on our social channels.

Please arrive at least 5 minutes before the session starts to ensure your technology is working. Thank you!