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Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945), Historical fiction, Slavery & abolition of slavery
The New York Times bestselling author of Wench and Take My Hand returns to the Civil War era in this powerful story of love and healing.
FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF TAKE MY HAND
The Civil War has ended, and Madge, Sadie, and Hemp have each come to Chicago in search of a new life.
Born with magical hands, Madge has the power to discern others' suffering, but she cannot heal her own damaged heart. Sadie can commune with the dead, but until she makes peace with her father, she, too, cannot fully engage her gift. Meanwhile, Hemp is searching for his missing family in a city that shimmers with possibility. But redemption cannot be possible until he is reunited with those taken from him . . .
In the bitter aftermath of war, as a divided nation tries to come together, Madge, Sadie, and Hemp will be caught up in an unexpected battle for survival in a community desperate to lay the pain of the past to rest.
Beautiful in its historical atmosphere and emotional depth, Balm is a stirring novel of love, loss, hope, and reconciliation set during one of the most critical periods in American history.
'Moving . . . gorgeous, compassionate' Washington Post
'Deeply moving, beautifully written, told from the heart' USA Today
'Powerful . . . a tale of individual loves, longings, and losses bound together by the healing balm of hope. Perkins-Valdez truly captures the American spirit' New York Journal of Books
'Deeply engaging . . . A thrilling and deeply satisfying read' Hope Wabuke, The RootMore books by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Praise for Balm: From the New York Times bestselling author of Take My Hand
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Moving . . . In gorgeous, compassionate prose, Perkins-Valdez continues our national conversation about people working together to heal our communities - Washington Post
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A powerful novel . . . a tale of individual loves, longings, and losses bound together by the healing balm of hope. Perkins-Valdez truly captures the American spirit - New York Journal of Books
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Elegantly crafted . . . captures the fierce energy, diversity, and suffering of Civil War-era Chicago . . . Perkins-Valdez moves gracefully among her three protagonists' viewpoints as they struggle to claim their authentic gifts and free themselves of the pain of their pasts - Publishers Weekly
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From the first page, I fell under the spell of the magical BALM. Powerful characters and exquisite prose bring to life a tumultuous period of American history that still demands our attention . . . With emotional depth and evocative detail, Dolen Perkins-Valdez has written a beautiful novel I will not soon forget - Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of HOUSE GIRL
Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Dolen Perkins-Valdez is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Wench. In 2011, she was a finalist for two NAACP Image Awards and the Hurston-Wright Legacy Award for fiction. She received a DC Commission on the Arts Grant for her second novel Balm, which was published by HarperCollins in 2015. Dolen is also a 2020 nominee for a United States Artists Fellowship, and the current Chair of the Board of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation. On behalf of the foundation, she has visited nearly every public high school in the District of Columbia to talk about the importance of reading and writing. She is currently Associate Professor in the Literature Department at American University and lives in Washington, DC with her family.
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