The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser

Read for an upcoming Book Club, this was truly enjoyable: a story of redemption in a young Atlanta teenager's life during the turbulent racial tensions in 1962. The opening chapter details the actual plane crash in France that killed many Atlantans who supported the arts during that era. Mary Swan proceeds to journey through her grief, after losing her mother in the crash; which leads her to serving in a soup kitchen in the "rough" part of Atlanta, meeting and deeply caring for the black community -- when it was not popular nor politically correct. Mary Swan comes face to face with her "non-support" of her longtime maid/nanny, Ella Mae. Never knowing or understanding that Ella Mae lived another life, which Mary Swan never cared about. As she is surrounded by others who love deeply, Swanee is forced to face her selfishness, her complacency and finally the need to surrender. My best take aways: stepping out to take risks when fear wants to control us; speaking up for truth even when others want to ignore it; a friendship between Mary Swan and Rachel (Jewish) and Carl (black) -- where each stays true to their beliefs, but is still accepted and interested in the thoughts of one another; forgiveness and reconciliation of what her mother appeared to be and who she really was. Each of us gets the privilege of bringing hope to the ones God brings into our sphere~ Ella Mae was a true example of this - in a quiet, unassuming manner --she just loved.