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Small Great Things: A Novel
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Small Great Things: A Novel
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Small Great Things: A Novel
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Small Great Things: A Novel

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • With richly layered characters and a gripping moral dilemma that will lead readers to question everything they know about privilege, power, and race, Small Great Things is the stunning new page-turner from Jodi Picoult.

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE

"[Picoult] offers a thought-provoking examination of racism in America today, both overt and subtle. Her many readers will find much to discuss in the pages of this topical, moving book."-Booklist (starred review)

Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family-especially her teenage son-as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about others-and themselves-might be wrong.

With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion-and doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.

Praise for Small Great Things

"Small Great Things is the most important novel Jodi Picoult has ever written. . . . It will challenge her readers . . . [and] expand our cultural conversation about race and prejudice."-The Washington Post

"A novel that puts its finger on the very pulse of the nation that we live in today . . . a fantastic read from beginning to end, as can always be expected from Picoult, this novel maintains a steady, page-turning pace that makes it hard for readers to put down."-San Francisco Book Review

"A gripping courtroom drama . . . Given the current political climate it is quite prescient and worthwhile. . . . This is a writer who understands her characters inside and out."-Roxane Gay, The New York Times Book Review

"I couldn't put it down. Her best yet!"-New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman

"A compelling, can't-put-it-down drama with a trademark [Jodi] Picoult twist."-Good Housekeeping

"It's Jodi Picoult, the prime provider of literary soul food. This riveting drama is sure to be supremely satisfying and a bravely thought-provoking tale on the dangers of prejudice."-Redbook

"Jodi Picoult is never afraid to take on hot topics, and in Small Great Things, she tackles race and discrimination in a way that will grab hold of you and refuse to let you go. . . . This page-turner is perfect for book clubs."-Popsugar

 

LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 11, 2016
ISBN9780735210189
Unavailable
Small Great Things: A Novel
Author

Jodi Picoult

JODI PICOULT is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-six novels. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the New England Bookseller Award for Fiction, the ALA’s Alex Award, the New Hampshire Literary Award for Outstanding Literary Merit, and the prestigious Sarah Josepha Hale Award in recognition of her distinguished body of written work. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband. They have three children. You can visit her website at wwww.jodipicoult.com  

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Reviews for Small Great Things

Rating: 4.256112860635697 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I love Jodi Picoult and I have read everything she has written. Like a few of her other books, this one has really stayed with me. With everything going on in the world, this book has opened my eyes even further. I always try to see the good in people and I believe everyone has the right to be treated with respect and kindness. Of course, we know that doesn't happen. Jodi shows us three different POV's. There is Ruth, an African-American nurse in the labor and delivery department. There is Turk, a white supremacist whose wife just gave birth in that L & D Department and then there is Kennedy, the white female who is a public defender. We are exposed to these three people, their families, their upbringing and their beliefs. The book reminds us that there is active racism like white supremacists and other people who are hateful to people of color. Then there is passive racism where you don't say anything when someone makes a racist comment or joke or you stand by while someone is being treated wrong for the color of their skin or their religious beliefs. Jodi does a fantastic job of making the reader question how they live their lives and if they stand by and do nothing or step up and make a difference. This book is a must read.

    I want to thank Penguin Random House for an advanced copy from their First to Read website.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Jodi Picoult continues to tackle subjects that are both thought provoking and emotional and this is another one. I read the author's notes at the end before I read the book and I am glad I did, it put the topic into prespective for me and gave me deeper connection with the story.

    Ruth is a highly competent and experienced labor & delivery nurse with over 20 years of experience and no marks against her record, she just happens to be African American. When she is assigned the care for newborn Davis, the baby of white supremacist parents, her troubles begin. These parents tell the hospital that they do not want their child cared for by "someone who looks like Ruth". As unbelievable as it sounds, the charge nurse puts a post-it note in the patient file prohibiting African American nurses from caring for the baby. This is a direct hit on Ruth as she is the only one on the L & D floor. When Davis dies shortly after his circumcision, the hospital, worried about a lawsuit, "throws Ruth under the proverbial bus" and suspends her as well as having her licence suspended pending investigation. When the white supremacist family goes to the police, the District Attorney agrees and files murder charges. Ruth is defended by Kennedy, a middle-class Caucasian female who works for legal aid.

    The plot grabs you and pulls you along right from the beginning. The story is told from various points of view; Ruth, Kennedy, Turk (the father), Edison (Ruth's son). This gives you such an insight into the characters and their development is rich. The tension in this story is taut and whoever you root for, you do not know how this will turn out. This was definitely a 5 star read for me.

    There are so many questions in this book, some that I am still left with even after reading it. What will happen to Ruth? Even if she is acquitted, how will this impact her life? her son's? her sister?
    What will become of the family who lost their child? How prevalent is the White Supremecist movement in the US, Canada? What is prejudice -- and how does that compare with discrimination? (this is not something I ever thought of before) How does defending Ruth impact Kennedy and her family? Where do my ideas fit into this story? The answers to many of these questions come together in a gripping story and some of these questions will keep you thinking long after you have finished this book. A must read for anyone and everyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In her latest book Picoult brings to light the ugliness of racism and white privilege in a page-turner medical courtroom drama. I enjoyed the three radically different points of view - Ruth, the Negro nurse accused of murder, Turk, the Neo Nazi father who lost his baby and Kennedy, Ruth's attorney. There were many times I cringed at Turk's voice as he spouted such hatred and prejudice, and I felt Ruth's confusion at finding herself tried for murder. Throughout the course of the book, the reader follows the self-discovery of each of the characters who are all complex and flawed.The only thing I was disappointed with was the ending. It lacked "the big twist" that is usually synonymous with this author's writing, and everything ended a bit too neatly. Overall, however, a powerful, relevant and thought-provoking read. Picoult at her best
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Premise is the sole black nurse on an L&D unit is left watching over the white child of white supremicist parents, and has been specifically told not to touch him. He arrested and Dad misinterprets the nurse's cardiac compressions on the child & takes his concerns to the police...and the nurse's license is suspended and she is arrested. Lot of discussion about race in 2016 (when the book was written), white privilege and unconscious and conscious racial bias. Very good.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ruth Jefferson, has been a successful and admits red labor and delivery nurse for more than 20 years. She is widowed after her husband was killed serving in Afghanistan. She has one child, a son, named Edison who an honor student. Ruth an African American living in a very white area of Connecticut and she is the only black staff member in the maternity ward of the hospital where she works. Ruth grew up with her sister in Harlem.

    To survive in that white world, Ruth has convinced herself that race doesn’t matter. “I treat people the way I want to be treated,” she says, “based on their individual merits as human beings, not on their skin tone.” Things don't seem so clear - cut when white supremacists Turk and Brittany Bauer refuse to allow Ruth to care for their newborn. Even more shocking, the hospital allows it with a simple with a sticky note in baby Davis' file stating that no African American is to care for this baby.

    Ruth obeys, until she finds herself the only nurse in the nursery when baby Davis stops breathing. Being the only person in the room, she is charged with the child’s death. Seems unbelievable? Not at all, sadly.

    That incident rips the scales from Ruth’s eyes, and suddenly she recognizes racism she had once previously accommodated or ignored: the woman who moves her purse when Ruth comes close, a co-worker who marvels at Edison’s academic success, the patient who assumes a young white nursing student is Ruth’s supervisor. “Have I really never noticed these things before?” Ruth wonders. “Or have I been very studiously keeping my eyes shut?”

    Ruth’s young, white attorney, Kennedy, is a well-intentioned ambitious woman who had never been challenged to face her own internalized prejudice. This will be Kennedy's first murder trial.

    Will Ruth and her teenaged son be able to survive this horrible situation?

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I stopped reading Jodi Picoult a long time ago, but a dear friend who is a labor & delivery room nurse asked me to read this book, so I agreed. Jodi's niche is fictionalizing topical issues, which she has done in this book. It confirmed my previous opinion of her talents as a writer, and the ending was absurd. I admit to skimming it and closing it with a sigh of relief.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    There are some profound truths in this book. Good job Ms Picoult.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Jodi Picoult writes popular novels, often centered around complicated legal cases: “mercy” killings, custody battles, frozen embryos, parental kidnappings. In Small Great Things, it’s about implicit and explicit racism; the focus character is a black nurse accused of medical neglect of the child of white supremacists. Picoult’s characters often seem stereotyped – there to illustrate some current cause or another – and the novels frequently end with a deus ex machina as some hitherto ignored evidence comes to light in the courtroom.

    However…

    They also often hit home. I’m not going to paraphrase the whole novel – read it yourself. But it did find one little part that hit home; one of the protagonists is the white public defender for the black nurse. In the course of confronting her own possible bias, she remembers an uncle – always a little drunk at family gatherings, always a little too huggy with the girls, and when the time came to crack a bowl of nuts for Christmas, always calling Brazil nuts “niggertoes”. Well, I had a relative who called them that, and I never said anything about it – I was probably 8 or 10 years old and deferential to my elders and who was I to say anything? But now, decades later, it agitates me to think about it. I suppose I shouldn’t look back – something might be gaining on me.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a difficult and thought-provoking book. Three points of view are presented and we see the characters evolve. Ruth is an African American who has studied and worked hard her whole life to achieve success as a nurse in a West Haven, Connecticut hospital. Although she is respected for her achievements and the positive way she is raising her son, she is left on her own when her actions as a nurse are questioned.Turk is a White Supremacist. He has been active in attacking non-Whites and gays. When his wife gives birth he insists Ruth be removed from caring for his newborn.Kennedy is a White, liberal pubic defender who takes on Ruth's case when she is accused of a crime. Without spoiling any aspect of the novel it will make you look again at racism and its definition. Like reading Between The World And Me by TaNeshi Coates you will see discrimination even liberals don't consider.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I listened to the audio version which used multiple narrators and was very well done. The book begins as a really fun read with the perspective of a nurse and lots of labor and delivery nursing shorthand talk which I enjoyed. Then the character perspective changes to a man who is a white supremacist. That is difficult to listen to with all the jargon he uses, but we do get a look at his background and why he thinks as he does. The third perspective is a defense lawyer. Toward the beginning I thought I might quit listening as it was so disturbing, but having read Picoult a few times before, I felt I could trust her to do good research and to be real. I'm glad I stayed with it, because it turned out to be a very good story as well as giving me some needed insight. At the end the author tells us the why and how of writing this book. That is a worthy read in itself.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Only my second Picoult, and this was far superior to My Sister’s Keeper, in my opinion. I was immediately drawn in to the story, and I loved Ruth and Kennedy’s voices. I thought the author handled racial prejudice and hate very well. I had a hard time with the end, until I listened to the author’s note and figured out it is not so implausible. Excellent narration, too. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "Equality is treating everyone the same. But equity is taking differences into account, so everyone has a chance to succeed." Kennedy McQuarrie "There is a difference between active and passive racism." KM“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” Martin Luther King, Jr.Ruth Jefferson is an accomplished neonatal nurse of 20 years. Turk Bauer's wife, Brittany, has just given birth to their first child, Davis. When Ruth is assigned to care for mother and son shortly after delivery, Turk, for personal reasons, demands she be taken off. Ruth's supervisor complies with his wishes and notifies Ruth not to touch, nor tend to Davis in any way. But when an emergency ensues, Ruth is faced with a moral dilemma which threatens her career, her livelihood and reputation. Picoult's novel, as to be expected, was a difficult read. It is unnerving. It is uncomfortable. It slaps the reader in the face with bias, prejudice, hate, disdain and racism to the extreme (active racism) and then it gently massages in the idea that most everyone, in one way or another, often unknowingly and carelessly, participates in passive racism. Picoult's writing is fluid and the story moves quickly. The characters are so well drawn and some actions so blatant that the reader moves through a series of emotions from sympathy to disgust to outrage. Most of all, Picoult's novel will make the reader think about and want to discuss the theme and examine the world in which we live in a new light.Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wow! My first Jodi Picoult novel but not my last. It's extremely sad that racism is still alive and well in America. Tough subjects to discuss but very necessary. All that aside, I love her writing style and will be getting my hands on some more Jodi Picoult books!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have read a lot of Jodi Picoult books, but I have not read one in quite some time. I must say that I am incredibly impressed of the way Picoult has captured the plight of a black woman in present-day America. I honestly expected to disagree with how she portrayed her characters. I expected her to "miss the mark" so to speak. However, I really identified with the main characters in the book and could really feel the truth coming through her words. The story line is amazing and feels very real. The multiple voices of the characters chosen were well picked. The transformation of the characters throughout the novel is exactly what we need to see happen throughout America and the world today. Realistically, we all have faults. There is an institutional problem in America and although we have come so far, we have so much further to go. That being said, the way that Picoult quickly and effectively has her characters undergo a necessary journey of discovery is beautiful.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In Jodi Picoult's Author's Note to her new release Small Great Things (released today), she tells us of her desire to write a novel about racism. She tried once, but ended up putting that first one aside. She talked about her efforts to listen to others so that she could better understand their experiences. She also listened to herself and realized that she wasn't as "blameless and progressive" as she thought.

    She set herself the task of showing white people the disadvantages that black people have that make it harder to succeed, while pointing out the advantages white people have that make it much easier for them. The role of a white ally, she points out, is to find other white people and try to make them see that the advantages they have are sometimes because someone else did not have the same benefits they did.

    It's difficult to review this book without that basic understanding of her motivations for writing. I spent so much of my time reading it thinking, "I wonder if and how this will get people talking." Then I worried about the repercussions for her and her career if it did get people talking. Now I'm beginning to think that was the whole point of the book. I needed to understand that one has to overcome that barrier to be able to fully enter into someone else's experience. That's empathy. That's writing. That's humanity.

    I hope I get it now.

    P. S. I received this review copy from Netgalley. It's a honest review. Honest.

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Made-for-TV quality story about an African-American nurse accused of murder in the death of a white supremacist couple's baby. Preachy and contrived.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was actually going to read another one of her books for my annual Picoult reading but our book club chose this one instead. I'm happy they did! I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end. It's about racism, predujice and what to do when you are in care of an infant but cannot touch the child. Just amazing writing and depth of each character. Yes I hated Brittany and loved Ruth and Kennedy. Yes I was happy with the ending (which is rare for a happy ending to happen with Picoult's books!). Highly recommended for everyone to read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book stirred up a lot of internal emotion for me. I hurt, I cried, I laughed, I got angry. It covered the emotional spectrum, as many of Ms. Picoult's books.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    First book of 2017 and boy was it a good one. I found myself angry through a lot of it. There were so many times that I had to stop and ask myself where I stood. This should be one everyone reads. 4⭐️ I'm using it for both #mounttbr and #litsyatoz.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions of this book. I really enjoyed Small Great Things. I am proud of Picoult for her bravery in taking on the difficult task of discussing racism and how it needs to be addressed by all races and in the court room. I loved the character development, Ruth is my favorite character followed by Kennedy. I did not like Turk at first but I could empathize with him and his terrible loss. I am glad he changed by the end of the book. I think everyone should read this book. Picoult fans will not be disappointed by this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have read a lot of Jodi Picoult books, but I have not read one in quite some time. I must say that I am incredibly impressed of the way Picoult has captured the plight of a black woman in present-day America. I honestly expected to disagree with how she portrayed her characters. I expected her to "miss the mark" so to speak. However, I really identified with the main characters in the book and could really feel the truth coming through her words. The story line is amazing and feels very real. The multiple voices of the characters chosen were well picked. The transformation of the characters throughout the novel is exactly what we need to see happen throughout America and the world today. Realistically, we all have faults. There is an institutional problem in America and although we have come so far, we have so much further to go. That being said, the way that Picoult quickly and effectively has her characters undergo a necessary journey of discovery is beautiful.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Picoult is an amazing story teller, there's no doubt about that. I thought that she struck the right tone for Ruth and for Kennedy, although Kennedy came across as incredibly ignorant and selfish despite her education (which was probably the case). Turk, however, came across as utterly unbelievable - I had to constantly remind myself that he was a 25 year-old uneducated White Supremacist. Yes, it was important to see the world through his eyes, but the language was all wrong, much to literary and articulate.Overall, I truly enjoyed this novel which shows the very strained race relations in the States but also brings to light the racism that exists in most, if not all, Western countries.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    OK, I get it. I will never understand how a person of another race feels about anything because it's impossible for me to walk in another man's shoes.The ending was a bit too neatly tied up. The mother of the dead baby, Brit, discovers that her mother is black? If that's the case, it gives more credible evidence that nurture tops nature. How is it possible for a white supremacist to "forget" that his only daughter's mother was black? That was one head-shaking moment.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A special thank you to Goodreads First Reads and Random House Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

    I love Jodi Picoult's work. And it isn't just because in Small Great Things she mentioned Depeche Mode, my most favourite band EVER, but it's because she is really talented.

    Plain Truth was the first book that I read by Picoult and I was hooked! I can honestly say that I've enjoyed all of her books, some more than others, but that's not to say I haven't liked/loved them all. But this book...THIS book is my favourite (so far).

    The book ignited so much thought, and there is a lot to digest and process. Picoult expresses that racism can be active and obvious, as well as passive in terms of privilege and biases. It is obvious she did her homework, but did she do enough? I think so, even though it was a little didactic at times, but then again, I am also speaking from my lack-of-experience with race issues and from my white privilege position in life.

    Not unlike her other books, there are alternating perspectives, interesting characters that deliver page-turning dialogue, and courtroom drama (which is where I think Picoult's writing excels). The difference between 4 and 5 stars is the ending. Obviously I'm not going to spoil it, but it tied up a little too neat, and as we all know, life is messy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    4.5/5
    As a whole I appreciate this book for what it is. However, there are some things towards the end which kind of took away from the story being told. Not bad, just not needed. I would recommend this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ruth, a black nurse is accused of infanticide by a white supremicist couple who have demanded that she not care for the child. The hospital cuts the nurse loose. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white attorney is assigned as her public defender.The story is well written and covers a lot of ground regarding the current state of race relations in the US. In the end, the package is tied up a little too neatly. But it is a good story and certainly good fodder for a book discussion group.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Started out interesting, then just felt like an okay miniseries.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Jodi Picoult really drove home the message of racism and how a black person lives with this every day. In fact, I found her too preachy at times delivering this home through the lwayer Kennedy and the victim Ruth Jefferson. I got the point many times over again. The white supremicist young couple Thor ( yep that's his name) and Brittany where extreme examples of these bigoted people. This made a point too but it made it hard for me to swallow the ending and Thor's about face.Still, I did enjoy this novel and finished it in just a few days..
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very timely to be reading this in the wake of the Charlottesville Virginia demonstrations by white supremacists ...
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book really hit a cord with me. Perhaps in light of the horrible racial tragedies currently taking place in the world it seemed even more real.The story of a highly trained black nurse who is removed from the care of a white supremacist's infant, is all too real. I loved the characters and felt they were extremely well researched and provided insight that is not readily available. I could tell the author researched this book extensively and I give her kudos for choosing to write about a topic that many people don't want to discuss. This type of book will give people the opportunity to discuss this very important issue that is so very prevalent in our society.Highly recommended.