Reese Witherspoon's Book Club Selects New Novel by Laura Kamoie '92
Celebrating America’s 250th birthday, actor and producer Reese Witherspoon just picked Laura Kamoie's new novel, "A Founding Mother," as the next read for her popular book club.
Historical novel following Abigail Adams picked by Reese Witherspoon
Laura Kamoie '92 has a new reason to celebrate this summer. A Founding Mother, her sweeping historical novel about Abigail Adams co-authored with Stephanie Dray, has been named the July pick for Reese's Book Club—the influential monthly book selection program founded by actress and producer Reese Witherspoon.
"I'm a big fan of Reese Witherspoon's efforts to highlight women-centric stories," says Kamoie, "so to have A Founding Mother, our novel about the amazing and inspiring Abigail Adams, chosen for Reese's Book Club's July pick is just a dream come true."
The novel follows Abigail Adams through the tumult of revolutionary America, tracing her independence and resilience as her husband, John, rises from country lawyer to nation-builder. Published to coincide with the 250th anniversary of American independence, A Founding Mother is the latest collaboration between Kamoie and Dray, the New York Times bestselling duo behind America's First Daughter and My Dear Hamilton.
"Abigail Adams's legacies are many, but one is to remind us that ordinary men and women fought, sacrificed, advocated and worked to found the U.S., and they bequeathed the founding mission to create a more perfect union to every successive generation right down to us today," says Kamoie. "With the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, we felt hers was the perfect story and most relevant and relatable voice to remind us that our country's founding ideals remain worth fighting for today—and that we each have a part to play."
Outside of Hollywood, the selection has also drawn praise close to home.
"I have read all of Laura and Stephanie Dray’s books, and I've loved them all," says Beth Jones P'11, wife of President John E. Jones III '77, P'11. "But this is by far my favorite. I read a lot of Reese's books and was overjoyed to see that Laura's made the new pick. What an honor for Laura and Stephanie—and of course for our beloved Dickinson."
And there's another Dickinson connection in the book too, as Dickinson's founder, Benjamin Rush, was well known to Abigail Adams.
"Amazingly, there's a strong Benjamin Rush connection to the Adamses," Kamoie explains. "John Adams was Rush's most frequent correspondent, and Rush also corresponded with Abigail. Rush played a significant role in restoring the estranged friendship between Adams and Thomas Jefferson. ... Abigail Adams was a staunch supporter of women's rights and women's education, so I like to think that she'd approve of a woman who graduated from her friend Benjamin Rush's school writing her story!"
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Published July 2, 2026