The Red Address Book: A Novel

Doris is a ninety-six-year-old woman living alone in Stockholm. Her weekly Skype calls with Jenny, her American grandniece and only living relative, are a source of joy and connection to her youth. As a girl, Doris received an address book from her father and has spent decades recording the names of everyone she met and loved. Now, looking through the worn book with its many crossed-out names, she feels compelled to write down her stories. She worked as a maid in Sweden, modeled in Paris during the 1930s, and fled to Manhattan at the start of World War II. Through writing these memories, Doris hopes to help Jenny, who carries the weight of a difficult childhood, understand their family's hidden history and move forward. The novel also explores what became of Allan, the great love of Doris's life. The Red Address Book examines how the stories we pass to future generations can reveal family secrets and bring unexpected discoveries, even in our oldest years.