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American Daughter: A Memoir of Intergenerational Trauma, a Mother's Dark Secrets, and a Daughter's Quest for Redemption
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"American Daughter–in the tradition of classics like The Glass Castle, LA Diaries and White Oleander–explores in unsparing details the complex interplay between intimate family ties, generational abuse and cataclysmic losses." – Gina Frangello, Author of Every Kind of Wanting and A Life in Men, Editor of The Coachella Review
For 50 years, Steph ...more
"American Daughter–in the tradition of classics like The Glass Castle, LA Diaries and White Oleander–explores in unsparing details the complex interplay between intimate family ties, generational abuse and cataclysmic losses." – Gina Frangello, Author of Every Kind of Wanting and A Life in Men, Editor of The Coachella Review
For 50 years, Steph ...more
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Start your review of American Daughter: A Memoir of Intergenerational Trauma, a Mother's Dark Secrets, and a Daughter's Quest for Redemption
This is a Non-Fiction/Biography Memoir/Autobiography. This book was really good in parts, but other parts I found very boring and slow moving. I feel for this girl/woman in this book. Overall I found this book thought-provoking, but in parts I found the pacing was off. I liked this book, but I did not love this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (HarperOne) or author (Stephanie Thornton Plymale with Elissa Wald) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review abou
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Stephanie Plymale speaks from the heart and shares a touching and moving chronicle of her survival from a horrendous childhood.
SUMMARY
American Daughter is Stephanie Thornton Plymale’s memoir. Her childhood was a series of nightmares, thanks to a mentally-ill mother who was in and out of jails and psych wards. Stephanie experienced neglect, hunger, poverty, homelessness, truancy, foster homes, abuse, and inadequate education.
Stephanie now in her fifties is successful and has risen above her hor ...more
SUMMARY
American Daughter is Stephanie Thornton Plymale’s memoir. Her childhood was a series of nightmares, thanks to a mentally-ill mother who was in and out of jails and psych wards. Stephanie experienced neglect, hunger, poverty, homelessness, truancy, foster homes, abuse, and inadequate education.
Stephanie now in her fifties is successful and has risen above her hor ...more
Feb 27, 2020
Jantine
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
free-for-review
This is the tale of a strong woman, a survivor. It feels strange to review it, because it feels like reviewing someone's life. I mostly want to thank Stephanie for sharing her life and her memories with us. I'm glad you are a survivor, because I am sure the world is more beautiful with you in it.
I received a free copy through Netgalley, in turn for an honest review. ...more
I received a free copy through Netgalley, in turn for an honest review. ...more
I'm clearly in the minority on this one, but it just wasn't for me.
It's hard to write reviews of memoirs. You feel like you're reviewing someone's life and their innermost thoughts, and that's not what I'm trying to do. I didn't care for the writing, and the way they authored would foreshadow future events ("[it was the] last time I would ever see her"). I found myself skimming quite a lot.
I think the author's story is breathtaking. She and her mother have both been through so much, and there's ...more
It's hard to write reviews of memoirs. You feel like you're reviewing someone's life and their innermost thoughts, and that's not what I'm trying to do. I didn't care for the writing, and the way they authored would foreshadow future events ("[it was the] last time I would ever see her"). I found myself skimming quite a lot.
I think the author's story is breathtaking. She and her mother have both been through so much, and there's ...more
Nov 10, 2020
Valerity (Val)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2020,
biographies-memoirs-of-criminals,
2000s,
netgalley,
non-fiction,
americana,
mental-illness,
1900-s
I found this to be a very gripping book once I got fully into it, with its delving into the author and her dying mother’s background, and their painful interactions. It eased into becoming one of those page turners that I stayed up all night reading to the finish, despite no plans to do so. It’s very moving and painful, amazing at times, quite a read. If you have an interest in this type of read, you might want to give it a look also. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, aut
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Stephanie lived in and out of foster care her whole life. She survived not just one, but two auto accidents which should have killed her. The neglect and abuse she suffered would have crippled most people. Instead, Stephanie became everything she ever wanted in a mother. A successful businesswoman, a wife, a mother of three healthy, well adjusted children and finally, the caretaker for her mother. Her mother spent too many years in and out of jail, psychiatric hospitals, and had more boyfriends
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The most fascinating, captivating, gut wrenching, heart breaking tales are those that are true. Such as Stephanie Thornton Plymale's memoir - American Daughter.
Stephanie and her five siblings grew up in chaos - neglect, abuse, hunger, homelessness, extreme poverty and more. Their mother fought many demons - substance abuse, alcoholism and mental illness.
Despite the odds, Stephanie educated herself, got married, had children, ran a college and lived an enviable life. From the outside looking in, ...more
Stephanie and her five siblings grew up in chaos - neglect, abuse, hunger, homelessness, extreme poverty and more. Their mother fought many demons - substance abuse, alcoholism and mental illness.
Despite the odds, Stephanie educated herself, got married, had children, ran a college and lived an enviable life. From the outside looking in, ...more
Stephanie’s memoir is a captivating true story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you feeling inspired. Despite the hardship she experienced as a child, from homelessness, neglect, and an estranged relationship with her mother, she grew into a strong, accomplished and nurturing woman with no regrets and no grudges. This story of overcoming will encourage you to achieve your dreams no matter what might be standing in your way.
This book was INCREDIBLE, I finished it in 2 days. Written in such a powerful, raw and emotional manner - it had me in tears followed by waves of inspiration, hope and so much empathy for this author. She has a story to share with the world and one that will hopefully take away the very important messages and lessons I took away from it. Incredible. A must read for everyone. Thank you, Stephanie Thornton Plymale.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is such an incredible story. So many emotions went through me the whole time I read this book. I, like many others, wondered how the author turned out so well after what she experienced growing up and even more as an adult I highly recommend this book.
This is such an incredible story. So many emotions went through me the whole time I read this book. I, like many others, wondered how the author turned out so well after what she experienced growing up and even more as an adult I highly recommend this book.
Another great read, captivating me from page one. Stephanie's distressing life story is told with dignity.
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“Find a way to be the love you didn’t get.”
Stephanie Thornton Plymale endured poverty, neglect, a mentally unhealthy mother, sexual assault and more during her childhood. But thankfully she found her husband and, with his help, became the love she didn’t get as a child.
I’m a huge fan of memoirs and I highly recommend this one that highlights how the systems of this country are failing many. This one has been compared to The Glass Castle and I can see why—I loved it.
Stephanie Thornton Plymale endured poverty, neglect, a mentally unhealthy mother, sexual assault and more during her childhood. But thankfully she found her husband and, with his help, became the love she didn’t get as a child.
I’m a huge fan of memoirs and I highly recommend this one that highlights how the systems of this country are failing many. This one has been compared to The Glass Castle and I can see why—I loved it.
A painful memoir of a Survivor that endured years of abuse, neglect, poverty, homelessness and her mother’s mental illness and addictions with her siblings. It’s the Author’s incredible story of being able to rise above and become a success despite her past trauma. A deeply moving, powerful and heartfelt read.
This was a powerful read beginning with the first paragraph! I could NOT stop. I was impacted emotionally about this woman’s journey through her childhood. It is Stephanie’s life beginning with her as a child and the relationships that led her to who she is today: a woman who positively empowers others. . .
I really wanted to love this memoir, and while I understand the author’s life is heartbreaking and compelling and tragic, the writing and style were not for me. There is a great life story here and it could have been told in a more linear fashion, with more focus on her childhood. The fights and drama with her husband, the detailed descriptions of design, adoption, and an almost-affair were not integrated into the main thrust of the story with fluidity or intention. They slowed the narrative dow
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American Daughter is a raw and riveting story of hardship, injustice, and generational redemption. From the first till the last page I was captivated and spellbound and could not put the book down. The life-story of the author, Stephanie Thornton Plymale, is the story of America – the real and unvarnished America. A little girl who is the casualty of her mother’s trauma and yet refuses to succumb to be a victim herself. The author’s life allows us to see, as through a dark glass clearly, the ref
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I haven't been this moved by a book in ages. I read it in 2 days and couldn't put it down. The author’s tragic and staggeringly beautiful story is told with dignity and grace. Her life story is compelling, but more so is the outcome. Rising above all she endured, Plymale not only created a life of beauty for herself and her family, but she also brought healing to those who harmed her or weren’t there for her throughout her life. Her words in this book are a gift to those who are downtrodden and
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A fascinating memoir, American Daughter will challenge your preconceptions and inspire you to examine your own family lineage. Stephanie shares her story with poignant grace and honesty and is an example of strength, courage, and unwavering determination in the face of unspeakable hardship. Her journey to uncover the truths of her past will stick with you for years to come. Loved this read!!
Stephanie Thornton Plymale had a rough life, to put it mildly. She grew up with an absentee addict mother who spent years in mental institutions and jails, with a similarly addicted and apathetic crook of a stepfather. When her mother was around, she was emotionally manipulative to Stephanie and her three siblings, refusing to be a provider, putting her kids in danger constantly, showing herself to be a pathological liar, intervening where she wasn't wanted, so much so that Stephanie took out tw
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It has taken me awhile to sit and write about this book. Immediately after reading the book, my first thought was – wow this is a story with so many layers. Five stars! I wanted to think about the book, give it a week or two to see if still felt that way. I still think it’s a 5 star read. This book is similar to memoirs such as The Glass Castle, Educated, Etched in Sand, Girl Unbroken or Blackbird just to name a few.
Stephanie Thornton Plymale overcame a horrific childhood filled with abuse and ...more
Stephanie Thornton Plymale overcame a horrific childhood filled with abuse and ...more
This memoir is outstanding. I didn’t realize it was a memoir until the very end. This is the story of mental illness, physical, sexual and mental abuse, loving relationships, perseverance, homelessness, and determination. Stephanie is a successful businesswoman, artist (interior design), and educator who has experienced all of the above yet has risen above all the damage. The book is eloquently written. Stephanie narrates the story in the present time with looks back at her and eventually her mo
...more
This memoir is outstanding. I didn’t realize it was a memoir until the very end. This is a story of mental illness, physical, sexual, and mental abuse, loving relationships, perseverance, homelessness, and determination. Stephanie is a successful businesswoman, artist (interior design), and educator who has experienced all of the above yet risen above all the damage. This book is eloquently written. Stephanie narrates the story in the present with looks back at her and eventually her mother’s hi
...more
A haunting revelation into the world of foster care, this memoir will change you forever. Stephanie Thornton Plymale unveils the reality of her experience growing up in a dysfunctional home while somehow offering hope and validity to others that there can be new beginnings despite a horrific past. A heart-wrenching glimpse into the painful experience of so many children, the novel exposes the raw reality of abuse while also revealing the difference one caring adult can make with a simple act of
...more
Jan 23, 2021
Maggie Carr
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2021,
2021-read-harder
Book Riot 2021: Read a book that demystifies a common mental illness
First ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ of the year. For the "fans" of Tara Westover's Educated, though we can all agree we can't claim to be fans of such horror. It's so unfair how both Tara and Stephanie fell through the cracks over and over and over.
May this story be the amplifier to the change that needs to happen in [USA] welfare, mental health, foster care, systems and beyond. ...more
First ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ of the year. For the "fans" of Tara Westover's Educated, though we can all agree we can't claim to be fans of such horror. It's so unfair how both Tara and Stephanie fell through the cracks over and over and over.
May this story be the amplifier to the change that needs to happen in [USA] welfare, mental health, foster care, systems and beyond. ...more
A very well written memoir of a horrific childhood. For someone to experience so much instability during her youth and make the choice to break the cycle with her own family shows the true strength and beauty of the human spirit. I cannot imagine being left at a beach with siblings while my mom goes off to work amongst other outings. To be torn apart from siblings growing up, becoming a ward of the state and put in the foster care system in a horrific sexually abusive situation is dreadful. For
...more
Wow. Finished this in a day. Though in the same vein as Educated, American Daughter felt much more tragic due to the failure of so many larger systems in each of the character’s lives. Unbelievable, harrowing, saddening, disheartening.
A memoir of a woman who suffers through horrific childhood experiences, including a neglectful and abusive mother, the tying up of her story and her journey exploring the roots of her family reads like a fairytale.
However, I did find the book a bit confusing in terms of timeline. As Stephanie relives her childhood memories, she often does not detail her age and the sequence of experiences have no timeline.
Some memories are particularly difficult to read and I may even add, are unnecessary. Her ...more
However, I did find the book a bit confusing in terms of timeline. As Stephanie relives her childhood memories, she often does not detail her age and the sequence of experiences have no timeline.
Some memories are particularly difficult to read and I may even add, are unnecessary. Her ...more
This is an excellent read about survival against overwhelming odds.
Thank you to the author for sharing such intimate details of her childhood and upbringing. It’s a heart wrenching, powerful story with a beautiful understanding of what mental illness is, how actions and words can be traumatizing, and what a mother/daughter’s relationship should be and not. I haven’t felt emotionally compelled to a book in long awhile. (hugs)
Our bookclub received American Daughter as free read from a galley match program. It was a good fit for our club....we have enjoyed similar titles (Glass Castle, Educated) in the past. Each time I read a book like this I am again reminded of the resilience of the human spirit but also wonder how some children are able to rise above a horrendous childhood while others are scarred so badly that they never truly recover to enjoy a normal (or even somewhat normal) adulthood.
Stephanie was raised (int ...more
Stephanie was raised (int ...more
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