"Akin to the Truth: A Memoir of Adoption and Identity" by Paige Strickland is an important work offering a reflection of growing up adopted, seeking to understand oneself, and defining family.
I found it clearly written. It was comprehensive as well. The narrative provides nostalgia for those who also grew up in the 60s and 70s. The authenticity of the author's experiences was well captured.
For me, however, the story started slowly and could have benefited from a content edit to start the story sooner. Many of the sentences used the same structure, giving it a monotone voice at times. As a nonfiction work, it read as such, lacking stronger fiction techniques that could have made the story more vivid. However, it was clearly presented.
The author does make an important point of the struggle adopted kids went through during the days of closed adoptions. I could relate to the yearning she must of felt to answer the basic human question of where did I come from while seeking to define, "who am I?"
About the Author: Paige Adams Strickland, a teacher and writer from Cincinnati,
Ohio, is married with two daughters. Her first book, Akin to the Truth: A
Memoir of Adoption and Identity, is about growing up in the 1960s-80s
(Baby-Scoop Era) and searching for her first identity. It is also the story of
her adoptive family and in particular her father’s struggles to figure out his
place in the world while Paige strives to find hers. After hours she enjoys
family and friends, pets, reading, Zumba ™ Fitness, gardening and baseball.
Find Paige online:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AkintotheTruth
Akin to the Truth is a memoir her adoption. In 1961, adoption was still
one of those private and taboo topics. Not much identifying information was
provided for adoptive families or for birth parents by the agencies. In Ohio,
records were sealed forever. Adoptees and birth mothers were supposed to be
thankful for the adoptive family and never look back. Adoptive parents thought
their deal was signed and sealed.
As a child and teenager, growing up adopted was like a Scarlet Letter
"A" if anyone ever found out the truth. At least, that's the way
author, Paige Strickland felt as she muddled through social situations and
other interpersonal relations. She always loved her adoptive family, but
realized she wanted not just more, but what other "regular born"
people had: real roots, accurate health history and authentic family lore. She
wanted freedom from shame, more dignity, authenticity and a full identity.
Then, through random chance, a local TV talk show in 1987 revealed that certain
records were open if you were born before 1964 in the state of Ohio, and the
author's life would never be the same after that program.
During her quest, (pre computer), for her identity, her adoptive father
struggled with his own self image and sense of belonging, so both father and
daughter embarked on separate and unique parallel missions to find what was
missing in their lives.
This is the story of how being adopted affected Paige growing up in the 1960s,
70s and early 80s. It shows how one adoptee has embraced and learned to view
family more globally. She tells the saga of a loving but dysfunctional family
of both blood and choice, trying to cope with typical and not so typical life
alterations during the decades of social revolution and free love. She learns
that the most fascinating family stories are discovered by those passionate
enough to question and search.
Paige Adams Strickland is a teacher and writer from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is
married with two daughters.
Paperback: 285 Pages
Publisher: Idealized Apps, LLC (September 8, 2013)
ASIN: B00F28TM86
Twitter
Hashtag: #AkinStrickland
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