Steinem Sisters Collection Book Club

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

A discussion group dedicated to feminist reading from the Library's Steinem Sisters Collection.

The Frozen River

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Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

The Steinem Sisters Collection champions women’s historical, cultural, and political contributions and strives to provide a welcoming space for women from all walks of life to share their truths. It is composed of “feminist materials,” intersectional works that uphold human and women’s rights and interests in defining and promoting political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes, races, classes, sexual orientations, and genders. The Steinem Sisters Collection has grown to over 900 titles in the ten years since its inception. Regular programming, including book discussion groups and talking circles, aims to highlight the collection and build community. This collection was made possible due to a generous donation by The Steinem’s Sisters Collective.