Description
Book Synopsis: The glamorous world of a silent film star’s wife abruptly crumbles when she’s forcibly quarantined at the Carville Lepers Home in this page-turning story of courage, resilience, and reinvention set in 1920s Louisiana and Los Angeles. Based on little-known history, this timely book will strike a chord with readers of Fiona Davis, Tracey Lange, and Marie Benedict.
Based on the true story of America’s only leper colony, The Second Life of Mirielle West brings vividly to life the Louisiana institution known as Carville, where thousands of people were stripped of their civil rights, branded as lepers, and forcibly quarantined throughout the entire 20th century.
For Mirielle West, a 1920’s socialite married to a silent film star, the isolation and powerlessness of the Louisiana Leper Home is an unimaginable fall from her intoxicatingly chic life of bootlegged champagne and the star-studded parties of Hollywood’s Golden Age. When a doctor notices a pale patch of skin on her hand, she’s immediately branded a leper and carted hundreds of miles from home to Carville, taking a new name to spare her family and famous husband the shame that accompanies the disease.
At first, she hopes her exile will be brief, but those sent to Carville are more prisoners than patients, and their disease has no cure. Instead, she must find community and purpose within its walls, struggling to redefine her self-worth while fighting an unchosen fate.
As a registered nurse, Amanda Skenandore’s medical background adds layers of detail and authenticity to the experiences of patients and medical professionals at Carville – the isolation, stigma, experimental treatments, and disparate community. A tale of repulsion, resilience, and the Roaring ‘20s, The Second Life of Mirielle West is also the story of a health crisis in America’s past, made all the more poignant by the author’s experiences during another, all-too-recent crisis.
PRAISE FOR AMANDA SKENANDORE’S BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY “Intensely emotional…Skenandore’s deeply introspective and moving novel will appeal to readers of American history.” —Publishers Weekly
Details
Step into the captivating world of Mirielle West in "The Second Life of Mirielle West," a haunting historical novel that will transport you to the glamorous yet crumbling world of a silent film star's wife. Immerse yourself in the pages of this page-turning story of courage, resilience, and reinvention set in 1920s Louisiana and Los Angeles. Perfect for book clubs and readers who enjoy Fiona Davis and Marie Benedict, this novel based on true history is a must-read for anyone craving a gripping and timely tale.
Discover the chilling reality of America's only leper colony at Carville, a place where thousands of individuals were stripped of their civil rights and forcibly quarantined throughout the 20th century. Join Mirielle West, a once glamorous 1920s socialite, as she navigates the isolation and powerlessness of the Louisiana Leper Home, leaving behind a life of luxury and fame for a world of stigma and uncertainty. Follow her journey of self-discovery, resilience, and the pursuit of purpose within the confines of Carville, a place where hope and despair collide in unexpected ways.
With Amanda Skenandore's background as a registered nurse, "The Second Life of Mirielle West" offers a uniquely detailed and authentic portrayal of the experiences of patients and medical professionals at Carville. Dive deep into the world of isolation, stigma, and experimental treatments, as Mirielle West and others at the colony struggle to reclaim their humanity amidst an unchosen fate. This gripping tale of repulsion and resilience against the backdrop of the Roaring '20s will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
Praised for her intense emotional storytelling in "Between Earth and Sky," Amanda Skenandore delivers a powerful and moving narrative that explores American history in a thought-provoking light. If you are a reader who appreciates deep introspection and historical resonance, "The Second Life of Mirielle West" is a novel that will captivate your imagination and tug at your heartstrings, offering a glimpse into a past health crisis that echoes with relevance today.
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