I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Milkman's Son: A Memoir of Family History. A DNA Mystery. A Story of Paternal Love
on March 3, 2020Pages: 336
Format: ARC
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Raised in a family he bore little resemblance to, Randy was jokingly referred to as the "milkman's son." This warm and candid memoir chronicles the unraveling of a family secret, which begins with Randy's dad having dreams about deceased relatives urging him to complete their family tree. Randy agrees to help with the genealogy, but after his searching leads to a dead end, he takes a commercially available DNA test. The results reveal a possible genetic match to a sister, which begins a familial quest that forever changes the author's life.
Featuring a cast of vivid characters richly drawn from two distinct families, The Milkman's Son reveals one man's family tree, pulling back layers of new information as he gets closer to the truth--a biological father, siblings, and family members he never knew. This is a story of accepting, forgiving, and reuniting. Most importantly, it's about the bonds that connect us and the unconditional love that makes us feel like we belong.
Review
This book was relatable to me as I have helped several of our cousins and DNA matches locate their birth families using genetic data. Written as a memoir, it is the tale of a man who goes about trying to break down brick walls for his father and finds something else all together. I could feel the authors pain at others making light of his situation and nickname, but later his acceptance of who he is and how he came to know his roots. I really hope we hear more about his mother’s story and reaction in the future. There was also a bit of a disconnect in emotion portrayed to the readers between the writer and his biological father as a result of the medical conditions involved. Because his extended bio family accept and envelop him you can feel it coming through in other ways. I loved the discussion of jealousy and tension between bio and half siblings, as well as the differences in culture between the place where he was raised and the East Coast. There’s even a mention of Tastykakes!
Any genetic genealogist will enjoy this memoir. It was a bit slow in pacing through a few parts, but overall, I found it to be an interesting look at what can and does happen with Ancestry DNA testers. Thank you Shadow Mountain for the sneak peek!
About the Author
RANDY LINDSAY is a world traveler. Which sounds impressive until you realize the worlds he visits exist only in his mind and on the pages of his novels. He claims to prefer this method of sightseeing because he can stop at any time, go to the kitchen, and indulge his ice cream addiction. When he isn’t busy making things up he likes going to movies with his wife to watch what other people have made up and plays board games with his children who are in the habit of making up the rules as they go along.
