Cemetery of Untold Stories Book Club with Professor Keja Valens

The magic of community reading returns to Salem this summer, and we couldn’t be more excited to share the details of One Book, One Salem 2025. For the third consecutive year, the Salem Literary Festival will feature Award-winning Dominican-American author Julia Alvarez, bringing our community together through the shared experience of reading, and this year’s selection promises to be extraordinary. This event will be a fantastic opportunity to experience both Julia Alvarez and the Salem Literary Festival in action.

About This Year’s Featured Book

Alvarez’s seventh novel is a work of magical realism that follows Alma, a retired author who inherits land in the Dominican Republic. Rather than building a traditional home, she creates something far more intriguing—a cemetery for her unfinished manuscripts and stories. But as any good magical realist knows, buried stories have a way of refusing to stay put, and drama inevitably ensues. It’s a fascinating concept, which Julia Alvarez will explore further during the Salem Literary Festival.

This compelling narrative explores themes of creativity, legacy, and the stories we tell ourselves—making it perfect for community-wide discussion and reflection.

How to Get Your Free Copy

The Salem Athenaeum and its partner organizations are making reading accessible to everyone in this community. Free copies of “The Cemetery of Untold Stories” will be available throughout Salem at these locations:

• Salem Public Library
• Salem Athenaeum
• Little Free Libraries citywide
• Special community events including:
  • Fiesta en la Calle (June 14)
  • Ice Scream Bowl at Salem Common (August 8)
  • Salem Farmers Market at Old Town Hall (August dates)

Look for books with the distinctive “One Book, One Salem” sticker. The concept is simple: read it, then either return it to help the next person discover it or share it with friends and family to keep the conversation growing.

Audio Books Available Too

Thanks to a generous donation from Recorded Books, 25 audio copies are available for those who prefer listening. Individual download codes can be requested by contacting staff@salemathenaeum.net. These audio offerings complement the experience of the Salem Literary Festival featuring Julia Alvarez.

Summer Discussion Events

The community conversation begins long before September’s main event:

• Spanish Edition Focus: An information session at Espacio in July will introduce the Spanish edition, with a book club discussion to be scheduled.
• English Book Club: Join Professor Keja Valens at the Salem Athenaeum on August 15 for an in-depth discussion.
• Author Event: The culminating conversation with Julia Alvarez herself on September 7.

Ready to join Salem’s literary adventure? Pick up your copy of “The Cemetery of Untold Stories” today and become part of our community’s shared reading journey.