First Thursday Book Club - Virtual Program

Thursday, October 17:00—8:00 PMVirtual ProgramOffsiteSee program description for location, Billerica, MA, 01821
Zoom ConferenceOffsiteSee program description for location, Billerica, MA, 01821

Join us for the first meeting of our First Thursday Book Club on Thursday, October 1st at 7pm. This program will take place on Zoom. We will be discussing the historical fiction novel, The Gown by Jennifer Robson.  The book is perfect for fans of The Crown and Downtown Abbey and for those who want to read about resilient characters showing strength as they navigate a challenging time period for their nation, post World War II England.

About the Book: From internationally bestselling author Jennifer Robson comes an enthralling historical novel about one of the most famous wedding dresses of the twentieth century--Queen Elizabeth's wedding gown--and the fascinating women who made it.


London, 1947

Though the war ended two years ago, England’s recovery has been difficult. But the nation’s spirits are lifted when Buckingham Palace announces the engagement of Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten. For Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin, colleagues at a famous fashion house, the upcoming wedding is more than a celebration. The talented embroiderers have been chosen to create the beautiful, intricate stitching that will adorn the royal bride’s wedding gown. It is an extraordinary opportunity for an ordinary working-class English girl and a French émigrée who survived the Nazis.

Toronto, 2016

Intrigued by the exquisite set of hand-stitched flowers she has inherited from her late grandmother, Heather Mackenzie discovers the embroideries match the motifs decorating Queen Elizabeth II’s stunning gown from her wedding almost seventy years before. Among her grandmother’s possessions, she also finds an old photo of Nan with Miriam Dassin, a celebrated artist and Holocaust survivor. How did her beloved Nan, a woman who never spoke of her old life in Britain, come to possess these embroidered treasures? What was her connection to Miriam Dassin, and why did Nan never mention her? Yearning to know more about her grandmother’s past and the mystery of the embroideries, Heather travels to London. It is a journey that will unlock the secrets of Nan’s life, including her connection to Miriam, and may even lead Heather to her own destiny.

With The Gown, Jennifer Robson takes us inside the workrooms where one of the most famous wedding gowns in history was created. Balancing behind-the-scenes details with a sweeping portrait of a society left reeling by the costs of victory, she introduces readers to three unforgettable heroines, their points of view alternating and intersecting throughout its pages, whose lives are woven together by the pain of survival, the bonds of friendship, and the redemptive power of love.

Praise for the Book: 

"For fans of 'The Crown,' looking for history served up as intimate drama, and those seeking another angle on royal lives, 'The Gown' seems likely to dazzle and delight."
 — Washington Post


Read The Gown And Join Our Virtual Discussion: 

You can download the ebook or audiobook of The Gown for free with your library card with no holds or wait! Use our new library e-resource, Hoopla. The book can then be read or listened to on a phone, tablet, or e-reader. There is even a Hoopla app! Not sure how to use Hoopla or download ebooks and digital audiobooks? Our technology librarian Abby is happy to help! Call her at 978-671-0948 ext. 4105 for one on one technology help. Abby can also help if you are unsure of how to connect to the book club through Zoom.

Not interested in an e-copy of the book? Physical copies will be available at the library for curbside pickup, just call  978-671-0948 ext. 3. 

We hope you register and join us for the virtual book club discussion. We're looking forward to discussing the book and connecting as readers...all from the comfort of home! Register and you will receive a link on the day of the program to connect via Zoom. 

Registration for this event has now closed.