"The Red Coat" by Dolley Carlson

The Red Coat by Dolley Carlson
Call Number: FICTION Carlson
Irish domestic worker Norah King's decision to ask her wealthy employer, Caroline Parker, for an elegant red coat the Beacon Hill matriarch has marked for donation ignites a series of events that neither woman could have fathomed. The unlikely exchange will impact their respective daughters and families for generations to come, from the coat's original owner, marriage-minded collegian Cordelia Parker, to the determined and spirited King sisters of South Boston, Rosemary, Kay, and Rita.

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Character Analysis:
- Discuss the main characters in "The Red Coat," including Lily, Charlotte, and Molly. How do their backgrounds, personalities, and experiences shape their responses to the challenges they face during the war?
Themes of Love and Sacrifice:
- How do the themes of love and sacrifice manifest in the novel? Consider the sacrifices made by characters for their loved ones, as well as the impact of wartime separations on relationships.
Female Resilience and Empowerment:
- Explore the portrayal of female resilience and empowerment in the novel, particularly through characters like Lily and Charlotte. How do they navigate the challenges of wartime and assert agency in their lives?
Friendship and Camaraderie:
- Discuss the importance of friendship and camaraderie among the characters, both on the home front and the battlefield. How do these relationships provide support and solace during difficult times?
The Home Front vs. the Front Lines:
- Contrast the experiences of characters on the home front (e.g., Lily and Charlotte) with those serving on the front lines (e.g., Molly). How do their perspectives and challenges differ, and what commonalities do they share?
The Impact of War on Families:
- How does the war affect families in the novel, both emotionally and practically? Consider the strains on familial relationships, as well as the changes in roles and responsibilities within families during wartime.
Historical Accuracy and Context:
- Reflect on the historical accuracy of the novel and the portrayal of life during World War II. How does Carlson effectively immerse readers in the time period, and what historical details add depth to the story?
The Symbolism of the Red Coat:
- Analyze the symbolism of the red coat throughout the novel. What does it represent for Lily, and how does it serve as a motif that threads through the narrative?
Loss and Grief:
- Discuss the themes of loss and grief in the novel, particularly in relation to characters coping with the death of loved ones. How do characters navigate their grief, and what coping mechanisms do they employ?
The Role of Women in War:
- Explore the role of women in wartime, both on the home front and in military service. How do characters like Lily, Charlotte, and Molly challenge traditional gender roles and contribute to the war effort?
The Power of Memory and Remembrance:
- Reflect on the importance of memory and remembrance in the novel. How do characters preserve the memory of loved ones lost to war, and what significance does this hold for them?
Relevance to Contemporary Issues:
- Consider the relevance of the themes and issues explored in "The Red Coat" to contemporary society. How do the experiences of characters during World War II resonate with modern-day challenges, conflicts, and societal debates?

Dolley has a heartfelt desire to equip women with creative solutions to meet the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis. "Women want the best for their family and their relationships. It's wonderful to be able to share how God's Word, the power of prayer, and the Lord's love and guidance have been powerful influences in my life and in the lives of my family and friends."

Also close to Dolley's heart is reaching out to adults from dysfunctional backgrounds. Her mother was an alcoholic and, as a result, her teenage years were marked by turmoil and abuse. The miracle of Dolley's survival proves the love and protection that her heavenly Father had for His child. "His wisdom, mercy and love were so evident during this time of little guidance and support." Dolley holds deep in her heart the hope a relationship with Jesus and a heavenly Father can provide. The Lord is answering the prayer of Dolley's life verse, "For my father and mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up. Teach me Thy way O Lord, and lead me in a level path . . ." Psalm 27:10-11

The Lord has given Dolley many opportunities to share her life and insights in ministry for Him across America and in Kiev, Ukraine. She is a frequent speaker at women's retreats, outreaches, luncheons, banquets, and conferences. She has been a popular and inspirational speaker for the National Charity League and has shared her testimony numerous times over the last 20 years for Christian Leadership Week in Newport Beach, CA.

In addition to her speaking ministry, Dolley is an author, professional model and fashion show commentator.

Dolley has been married to her
husband, Tom, for over 29 years.

They have two daughters, Candy and Katie, and reside in sunny Southern California.

Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict
Call Number: FICTION Benedict
Clara Kelley is not who they think she is. She's not the experienced Irish maid who was hired to work in one of Pittsburgh's grandest households. She's a poor farmer's daughter with nowhere to go and nothing in her pockets. But the woman who shares her name has vanished, and assuming her identity just might get Clara some money to send back home. Clara must rely on resolve as strong as the steel Pittsburgh is becoming famous for and an uncanny understanding of business, attributes that quickly gain her Carnegie's trust. But she still can't let her guard down, not even when Andrew becomes something more than an employer. Revealing her past might ruin her future--and her family's. With captivating insight and heart, Carnegie's Maid is a book of fascinating 19th century historical fiction. Discover the story of one brilliant woman who may have spurred Andrew Carnegie's transformation from ruthless industrialist to the world's first true philanthropist.
The Guest Book by Sarah Blake
Call Number: FICTION Blake
The thought-provoking new novel by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Blake An exquisitely written, poignant family saga that illuminates the great divide, the gulf that separates the rich and poor, black and white, Protestant and Jew. Spanning three generations, The Guest Book deftly examines the life and legacy of one unforgettable family as they navigate the evolving social and political landscape from Crockett's Island, their family retreat off the coast of Maine. Blake masterfully lays bare the memories and mistakes each generation makes while coming to terms with what it means to inherit the past.
Bethlehem by Karen Kelly
Call Number: FICTION Kelly
A young woman arrives at the grand ancestral home of her husband's family, hoping to fortify her cracking marriage. But what she finds is not what she expected: tragedy haunts the hallways, whispering of heartache and a past she never knew existed. Inspired by the true titans of the steel-boom era, Bethlehem is a story of temptation and regret, a story of secrets and the cost of keeping them, a story of forgiveness. It is the story of two complex women--thrown together in the name of family--who, in coming to understand each other, come finally to understand themselves.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Call Number: FICTION Patchett
At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. Cyril's son Danny and his older sister Maeve are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another.

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*ebook & audiobook on hoopla
The Daughters of Erietown by Connie Schultz
Call Number: FICTION Schultz
1957, Clayton Valley, Ohio. Ellie has the best grades in her class. Her dream is to go to nursing school and marry Brick McGinty. A basketball star, Brick has the chance to escape his abusive father and become the first person in his blue-collar family to attend college. But when Ellie learns that she is pregnant, everything changes. Just as Brick and Ellie revise their plans and build a family, a knock on the front door threatens to destroy their lives. The evolution of women's lives spanning the second half of the twentieth century is at the center of this beautiful novel that richly portrays how much people know--and pretend not to know--about the secrets at the heart of a town, and a family.
Leaving Lucy Pear by Anna Solomon
Call Number: FICTION Solomon
Set in 1920s New England, the story of two women who are both mothers to the same unforgettable girl--a big, heartrending novel from award-winning writer Anna Solomon One night in 1917 Beatrice Haven sneaks out of her uncle's house on Cape Ann, Massachusetts, leaves her newborn baby at the foot of a pear tree, and watches as another woman claims the infant as her own. The unwed daughter of wealthy Jewish industrialists and a gifted pianist bound for Radcliffe, Bea plans to leave her shameful secret behind and make a fresh start. Ten years later, Prohibition is in full swing, post-WWI America is in the grips of rampant xenophobia, and Bea's hopes for her future remain unfulfilled. She returns to her uncle's house, seeking a refuge from her unhappiness. But she discovers far more when the rum-running manager of the local quarry inadvertently reunites her with Emma Murphy, the headstrong Irish Catholic woman who has been raising Bea's abandoned child--now a bright, bold, cross-dressing girl named Lucy Pear, with secrets of her own. In mesmerizing prose, award-winning author Anna Solomon weaves together an unforgettable group of characters as their lives collide on the New England coast. Set against one of America's most turbulent decades, Leaving Lucy Pear delves into questions of class, freedom, and the meaning of family, establishing Anna Solomon as one of our most captivating storytellers.
Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan
Call Number: FICTION Sullivan
"Nora and Theresa Flynn are twenty-one and seventeen when they leave their small village in Ireland and journey to America. Nora is the responsible sister; she's shy and serious and engaged to a man she isn't sure that she loves. Theresa is gregarious; she is thrilled by their new life in Boston and besotted with the fashionable dresses and dance halls on Dudley Street. But when Theresa ends up pregnant, Nora is forced to come up with a plan--a decision with repercussions they are both far too young to understand. Fifty years later, Nora is the matriarch of a big Catholic family with four grown children: John, a successful, if opportunistic, political consultant; Bridget, privately preparing to have a baby with her girlfriend; Brian, at loose ends after a failed baseball career; and Patrick, Nora's favorite, the beautiful boy who gives her no end of heartache. Estranged from her sister and cut off from the world, Theresa is a cloistered nun, living in an abbey in rural Vermont. Until, after decades of silence, a sudden death forces Nora and Theresa to confront the choices they made so long ago."

*ebook & audiobook on Libby

The Red Coat Boston

Islington Branch Book Club - Past Titles: "The Red Coat" by Dolley Carlson

"The Red Coat" by Dolley Carlson

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