A starred review in Kirkus for Annie's Ghosts

For the most part, I see this blog as a place to discuss reporting, writing, books and those subjects that fascinate and engage readers of books. I'm calling time out today so that I can share a portion of the review that appears in the April 1 issue of Kirkus Reviews.

* ANNIE'S GHOSTS

A Journey into a Family Secret

A family secret leads Washington Post senior editor Luxenberg to reinterpret his family history.

In 1995, the author learned that his aging mother had a sister she had never mentioned. It came up during a visit to the doctor; her parents had institutionalized their disabled two-year-old when she was four, she said, and she never saw her sister again. Since his mother was facing severe medical problems, Luxenberg felt this wasn't the time to pursue the details. After his mother's death a few years later, he learned that the sister's name was Annie and she was buried with his grandparents in Michigan.

Determined to discover the truth about Annie, he began his investigation with an endless list of difficult questions. . . As Luxenberg slowly uncovers Annie's story, he realizes that by exposing one ghost, he exposes thousands; by discovering one secret, he discovers those of his entire family. The author calls on his investigative reporting skills not just to uncover the facts, but to explore what happens when lies or omissions become truth, exposing the contradictions, contrasts and parallels that exist within every life, every relationship and every family.

Beautifully complex, raw and revealing.

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Apart from the praise (wonderful, of course), this is a review that makes a writer feel understood as well as appreciated.