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The Gift Best Given: A Memoir
“Like a jigsaw puzzle, every story is made up of pieces; big ones, smaller ones, pieces not easily found, tiny and hiding, essential to complete the picture.”
At almost seventy years old, Edward Di Gangi had never given much thought to the fact he was adopted. However, a cemetery visit and a book about a favorite author’s search for lost family suddenly compel him to embark on a genealogical quest to discover his origins. As he digs deeper, he begins to piece together the life story of an extraordinary woman—his birth mother.
Far from being the ordinary woman that Di Gangi had envisioned, Genevieve Knorowski was an aspiring “artista” who left home at the age of seventeen in the midst of World War II to join an ice-skating company in Vancouver. Journeying alone by train across the continent from New York, Genevieve would go on to achieve fame as an ice show performer, skating in the United States, Central and South America, and across Europe. However, it is a decision Genevieve makes on Easter Sunday in a church on New York City’s Upper West Side that will forever connect the life of a young woman pursuing her dreams with the life of a seventy-year-old man searching for answers to the lifelong questions of who we are, where we come from, and what family means.
At almost seventy years old, Edward Di Gangi had never given much thought to the fact he was adopted. However, a cemetery visit and a book about a favorite author’s search for lost family suddenly compel him to embark on a genealogical quest to discover his origins. As he digs deeper, he begins to piece together the life story of an extraordinary woman—his birth mother.
Far from being the ordinary woman that Di Gangi had envisioned, Genevieve Knorowski was an aspiring “artista” who left home at the age of seventeen in the midst of World War II to join an ice-skating company in Vancouver. Journeying alone by train across the continent from New York, Genevieve would go on to achieve fame as an ice show performer, skating in the United States, Central and South America, and across Europe. However, it is a decision Genevieve makes on Easter Sunday in a church on New York City’s Upper West Side that will forever connect the life of a young woman pursuing her dreams with the life of a seventy-year-old man searching for answers to the lifelong questions of who we are, where we come from, and what family means.
- GenresMemoir
365 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2020
9 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 29, 2022
Having recently published the story of my mother’s childhood (THE GIRL WHO FEARED TRAINS), I was anxious to read fellow author Ed Di Gangi’s tale of his mother, Genevieve. There is one glaring difference in our stories: I grew up with, loved, and knew my mother well. Ed, sadly, never met his birth mother.
Placed for adoption at birth, Ed grew up in New York an only child, unaware of his birth mother’s history. Approaching his 70th birthday, his curiosity about his roots growing, Ed began researching the mother who loved him enough to give him a life she was unable to provide.
Bookending Genevieve’s story with his own life and discovery of half siblings, Ed tells the heart wrenching yet fascinating and colorful tale of a beautiful young professional figure skater who had the courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Told with compassion and no judgment, THE GIFT BEST GIVEN: A MEMOIR, is a beautiful gift to Ed’s readers.
Placed for adoption at birth, Ed grew up in New York an only child, unaware of his birth mother’s history. Approaching his 70th birthday, his curiosity about his roots growing, Ed began researching the mother who loved him enough to give him a life she was unable to provide.
Bookending Genevieve’s story with his own life and discovery of half siblings, Ed tells the heart wrenching yet fascinating and colorful tale of a beautiful young professional figure skater who had the courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Told with compassion and no judgment, THE GIFT BEST GIVEN: A MEMOIR, is a beautiful gift to Ed’s readers.
April 17, 2023
Edward Di Gangi's "The Gift Best Given: A Memoir" is a captivating story detailing his birth mother's decision to place him for adoption and his journey to uncover information about his biological family. The author's writing is elegant, and his account of his mother's life as a traveling ice show performer is fascinating. The search for unknown family members, living and dead, is rousing and a testament to the importance of perseverance and family. I highly recommend this beautifully crafted book to anyone interested in adoption, reunion stories, or self-discovery. This powerful story's impact has made it impossible for me to think of figure skating without being reminded of Edward's mother.
June 12, 2022
An adopted man's quest to find out about his birth mother. Very uplifting and enlightening. A real good read!
March 22, 2025
THE GIFT BEST GIVEN is a beautifully-written, meticulously-researched memoir told in dual timeline/dual POV through the eyes of 17-year-old ice skater Genevieve Kowalski in the 1940s and present day through the author’s search for Genevieve and his experiences reuniting with family along the way.
I enjoyed this uplifting book on so many levels, especially the history lesson on ice shows (did you know hotels used to have rinks in their dining rooms for performances?) and the confluence of people and events that brought Ed together with the information he needed to find Genevieve’s family (proving yet again that truth is more wonderous than fiction). If you are looking for a book to restore your faith in love and the resilience of the human spirit, I highly recommend this book.
I enjoyed this uplifting book on so many levels, especially the history lesson on ice shows (did you know hotels used to have rinks in their dining rooms for performances?) and the confluence of people and events that brought Ed together with the information he needed to find Genevieve’s family (proving yet again that truth is more wonderous than fiction). If you are looking for a book to restore your faith in love and the resilience of the human spirit, I highly recommend this book.
September 22, 2022
Thank you Ed
I just finished this amazing book & am so happy to have read it. Each adoption/reunion book is very different & I love hearing about everyone's story.
I don't ever give away spoilers in my reviews. Be content to know that this story is unique. It's about a woman who made the choice to give up her child at birth. It tells her story in such a way that you feel you are there with her experiencing it all first hand.
Yet, it is her son, the one she handed over to adoptive parents, who discovers her identity & tells her story.
Ed's birthmother had an unusual & exciting career. I loved that part. I loved her bravery to go after what she wanted to do in life.
If you're an adoptee, a birth parent or adoptive parent or a friend of any of these folks, I think you'd find this book well written & interesting.
I've read many adoptee books over the years & this is one of my favorites. I read them because at the age of 68 I'm still trying to understand myself & my own adoption. My own life & story.
DNA has become a lifesaver for those who live in states that guard the original birth certificates of adoptees like we are convicted felons who must be kept away from our family of origin. As if we are dangerous & an enemy of the state.
We can now learn our true identity, our family medical history, our genealogy, and much more.
Not every story is "happy" with a fairy tale ending. But life is not all happiness & fairy tales for anyone. What it is, is the Truth vs Lies or coverups.
In this story you won't find much in the way of emotional turmoil. There might have been some; but the author chose not to dwell on anger, hurt, frustration, fear. That makes for easy reading. There might be some emotional 'triggers' in there for some. But not for me. I think it's light on that, which might make it an easier read for some.
If you like more drama & more ups & downs & twists & turns, you can find them in numerous other books of this genre.
I just finished this amazing book & am so happy to have read it. Each adoption/reunion book is very different & I love hearing about everyone's story.
I don't ever give away spoilers in my reviews. Be content to know that this story is unique. It's about a woman who made the choice to give up her child at birth. It tells her story in such a way that you feel you are there with her experiencing it all first hand.
Yet, it is her son, the one she handed over to adoptive parents, who discovers her identity & tells her story.
Ed's birthmother had an unusual & exciting career. I loved that part. I loved her bravery to go after what she wanted to do in life.
If you're an adoptee, a birth parent or adoptive parent or a friend of any of these folks, I think you'd find this book well written & interesting.
I've read many adoptee books over the years & this is one of my favorites. I read them because at the age of 68 I'm still trying to understand myself & my own adoption. My own life & story.
DNA has become a lifesaver for those who live in states that guard the original birth certificates of adoptees like we are convicted felons who must be kept away from our family of origin. As if we are dangerous & an enemy of the state.
We can now learn our true identity, our family medical history, our genealogy, and much more.
Not every story is "happy" with a fairy tale ending. But life is not all happiness & fairy tales for anyone. What it is, is the Truth vs Lies or coverups.
In this story you won't find much in the way of emotional turmoil. There might have been some; but the author chose not to dwell on anger, hurt, frustration, fear. That makes for easy reading. There might be some emotional 'triggers' in there for some. But not for me. I think it's light on that, which might make it an easier read for some.
If you like more drama & more ups & downs & twists & turns, you can find them in numerous other books of this genre.
May 15, 2023
Edward Di Gangi’s “The Gift Best Given: A Memoir” is a captivating story about his birth mother’s heart-rending decision to place him for adoption and his efforts to obtain information about his biological family.
Ed grew up in New York an only child unaware of his birth mother’s history. As Ed was approaching his 70th birthday his curiosity about his roots had grown. Thus, he began his search for information about his birth mother who unselfishly gave him up for adoption and the opportunity for a life she knew she was unable to provide.
Di Gangi tells the heart wrenching yet fascinating facts about the life of his mother, Genevieve, a beautiful young professional figure skater and her career as a traveling ice show performer.
His writing is sharp and beautifully crafted with compassion and understanding.
The fascinating characters and vivid descriptions about that era blend with his feelings of joy and grief in his dauntless search for unknown family members.
Its powerful impact will forever combine my thoughts of figure skating with Edward’s mother. I highly recommend this interesting and captivating book to anyone interested in adoption, reunion stories, or self-discovery.
Ed grew up in New York an only child unaware of his birth mother’s history. As Ed was approaching his 70th birthday his curiosity about his roots had grown. Thus, he began his search for information about his birth mother who unselfishly gave him up for adoption and the opportunity for a life she knew she was unable to provide.
Di Gangi tells the heart wrenching yet fascinating facts about the life of his mother, Genevieve, a beautiful young professional figure skater and her career as a traveling ice show performer.
His writing is sharp and beautifully crafted with compassion and understanding.
The fascinating characters and vivid descriptions about that era blend with his feelings of joy and grief in his dauntless search for unknown family members.
Its powerful impact will forever combine my thoughts of figure skating with Edward’s mother. I highly recommend this interesting and captivating book to anyone interested in adoption, reunion stories, or self-discovery.
March 7, 2023
An Amazing Story- Beautifully Told.
“Edward Di Gangi’s book, “The Gift Best Given” kept me turning the pages long into the night. I am a birthmother and always eager to read adoption stories. This one pulled me in immediately and was one of the best I have read. The writing is clear and beautifully crafted. You will fall into the story and cheer for Di Gangi as he finds who his birthmother was almost 70 years after his birth. I was spellbound by the amazing facts about the life of Di Gangi’ s mother, the era when he was born in, the wonderful characters and spot on descriptions. Not only does he tell his birth mother’s story with grace and love, he tells his own. You will feel his joy and his grief. You will learn much by reading this interesting and captivating book.”
Laura L. Engel
Author of “You’ll Forget This Ever Happened – secrets, shame, and adoption in the 1960s”
“Edward Di Gangi’s book, “The Gift Best Given” kept me turning the pages long into the night. I am a birthmother and always eager to read adoption stories. This one pulled me in immediately and was one of the best I have read. The writing is clear and beautifully crafted. You will fall into the story and cheer for Di Gangi as he finds who his birthmother was almost 70 years after his birth. I was spellbound by the amazing facts about the life of Di Gangi’ s mother, the era when he was born in, the wonderful characters and spot on descriptions. Not only does he tell his birth mother’s story with grace and love, he tells his own. You will feel his joy and his grief. You will learn much by reading this interesting and captivating book.”
Laura L. Engel
Author of “You’ll Forget This Ever Happened – secrets, shame, and adoption in the 1960s”
July 23, 2023
I enjoyed the read, the writing is good but is it a memoir? More like a biography of DiGangi's birth mother, I'd say. The structure was unusual but manageable. My biggest complaint is that even though he had lots of actual facts about his birth mother, much of the 'story' simply had to be him projecting what he wanted her to be....sweet, torn by the decision to give him up, more compassionate perhaps than he would have reason to believe. She wanted a career. I found much of the detail speculative. He did a lot of research, talked to a lot of people, yet the details of her travels, actions and feelings seem to be an effort to comfort himself and make her into the woman he wanted her to be. Which I get.
January 25, 2024
Edward Di Gangi's "The Gift Best Given: A Memoir" is a captivating story detailing his birth mother's decision to place him for adoption and his journey to uncover information about his biological family. The author's writing is elegant, and his account of his mother's life as a traveling ice show performer is fascinating. The search for unknown family members, living and dead, is rousing and a testament to the importance of perseverance and family. I highly recommend this beautifully crafted book to anyone interested in adoption, reunion stories, or self-discovery. This powerful story's impact has made it impossible for me to think of figure skating without being reminded of Edward's mother.
July 26, 2023
An amazing story of discovery.
March 16, 2026
Interesting recounting of the results of the author’s search for his birth parents.
February 28, 2025
This is a very personal story of adoption. The author managed to get into the head of a birth mother he never met and recorded her thoughts as if she had spoken them aloud to him. His search took him into the glamorous ice-skating spectaculars of the 1940s. As he learned the identity of the woman who had placed him for adoption at the time of his birth and delved deeper into her young life, he discovered many of his assumptions were not correct. The search has taken him on a surprising journey.
The Gift Best Given: A Memoir captures five years of a young woman’s life. Leaving home in New York City at the age of 17 in the midst of World War II, she traveled alone across the country in pursuit of her dream to become a professional ice skater. Five years later, after crisscrossing the country as her career ascended, she secretly returned to New York, unexpectedly pregnant. We follow her through the lonely days of her late pregnancy, when she lives alone in NYC and makes and carries out the most difficult decision of her life.
There are many small historical details sprinkled throughout the book that helps capture the historical timeframe of this story. They serve to remind us about the limitations faced by women during these years.
I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.
The Gift Best Given: A Memoir captures five years of a young woman’s life. Leaving home in New York City at the age of 17 in the midst of World War II, she traveled alone across the country in pursuit of her dream to become a professional ice skater. Five years later, after crisscrossing the country as her career ascended, she secretly returned to New York, unexpectedly pregnant. We follow her through the lonely days of her late pregnancy, when she lives alone in NYC and makes and carries out the most difficult decision of her life.
There are many small historical details sprinkled throughout the book that helps capture the historical timeframe of this story. They serve to remind us about the limitations faced by women during these years.
I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews