BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate | Book Review

[@nikkyb901]

I cried a lot while reading about what happened in children's home, and how one by one siblings got separated..

[@pegsuchan9924]

Brittany, you did a good job not giving anything away yet teased us into this compelling story! I too, never knew about the true-life, notorious Georgia Tann and the Memphis- based adoption agency. Incredible for 25 years this woman and her nefarious network continued stealing poor kids and running abysmal orphan homes without quality controls and licensing. The horror of her crimes were not fully understood, or purposely ignored until just a few years ago. (Imagine unsealing the records and identities of so many kids and what that would mean to their wealthy adoptive parents?) It is a page turner for sure!

[@Sahil-rx2oe]

Just got this book from the library today and loved your little review. Kinda sad that you don’t have any reviews as of late. I hope you start again as I’ve subscribed :-)

[@janehavanah9854]

My grandmother was an infant that was taken from her mother from infancy by Georgia Tann and adopted into an abusive family. My grandmother was under the impression that her adoptive parents were her real parents and didn’t find out until later in her life that she was actually separated from her birth mother at birth. This book was very interesting to read considering my grandma’s history with the actual society in the book.

[@willrussell3436]

Mine too

[@lotusgrl444]

Its so sad to know this is part of our history and until this book became mainstream, many of us were unaware of this heart wrenching reality

[@Oop52-54]

This is so utterly devastating.

[@CindyHolman]

I'm almost done with this book and WOW - it is powerful! Such imagery! Not soon forgotten that's for sure. One of my favorites so far this year.

[@alldbooks9165]

I was so excited to see you mention this book. My sister gave it to me for Christmas (probably because I live in Tennessee), and I had never heard of it before.

[@marthabasil5141]

I have just finished this book chosen by my book club. It was the best book I have read in a long time. Loved it.

[@kellyantoniadou8897]

Hi! I have just finished reading the book. I found similarities in its structure with another book from Wingate, which I recommend: "the book of lost friends". The characters of the past are more deeply developed and explored in both books. I have a question regarding the relationship between Rill and her adoptive father. What happened between them when Georgia Tann and that other awful lady left them alone in the room? It was never clear to me. I hope someone can share their take-aways frol that part. Thanks for making a video sharing your review!

[@michaelberman4626]

Nice review! I am an adoptee and through DNA testing and with the generous help of several people who turned out to be close relatives, including two living half-sisters, one of which has lived for the last two year only an hour and a half from me, we were able to narrow down my possible birth mother to one of two sisters. That was on a Friday evening late last September and the very next day I received my adoption record from Tennessee, the state of my birth, and discovered that we had been right on target and the identity of my birth mother was revealed to me. She was one of those two sisters. She 18 and unmarried and lived in Michigan but went to TN to stay with an older married sister and gave birth to me in a Nashville hospital in August of 1945. After surrendering me for adoption the next day I was taken to Memphis and placed in the Tennessee Children's Home and the care of Georgia Tann. I was subsequently adopted by a couple living in NYC and grew up there. A few weeks after receiving my adoption record I came across this book, entirely by chance, on Amazon and, of course, bought it and read it immediately. The relevance of the book to my own life may have colored my opinion but I thought it was an excellent and very moving book. I remember in 1992 (I think) my wife and I watched a TV movie, starring Mary Tyler Moore, called Stolen Babies, that was about Tann's crimes. Moore played Tann and gave a very credible performance. The full movie is available on KZbin if anyone is interested. I've not been able to find it available for sale anywhere. Obviously the proximity in time and place to my own adoption (I always knew I had been adopted and born in Tennessee) made us both wonder, but it wasn't until this past summer that I made the decision to search for the truth of my origins. After the revelations of my DNA search and the receipt of my adoption record my wife told me that my adoptive mother had told her once that when they got me I was in awful shape and had to be hospitalized for several days and de-wormed. Tann's scheme was finally exposed in 1950 but by Sept. of that year she was dead from cancer and was never brought to trial. Another book, non-fiction, about Tann is Stolen Babies by Barbara Raymond. There are also segments from 60 Minutes and Oprah, both from the early '90s, that explore the Tann scandal and both are also available on KZbin. The full extent of Tann's activities may never be fully known but they continue to haunt the lives and memories of thousands of people - adoptees and families from which babies were indeed stolen - to this very day. Lisa Wingate's book treats the subject with the respect and seriousness it deserves but it is, at the same time, a wonderful and very moving read.

[@BooksAndJams]

Yes! Georgia Tan and Umbridge! Perfect comparison. I read this on audiobook last fall and didn't realize until I was almost done that it was based on TRUE events! I couldn't believe all that I read and then to know it was true was so sickening. I did a tiny bit of research when I finished as well. I am one who didn't care as much for the present day storyline. I found it just a bit confusing. Overall though I loved this book. Great review.

[@maxwashingtonmusic7000]

Sounds like an intense and difficult but rewarding read......I like how you brought in the Umbridge comparison........very interesting review, my friend....enjoyed it...

[@sayranhadi2633]

I just finished reading this book! I was impressed by the shift in characters especially the heroines of both storylines. It's a painful story to read yet brings a smile to your lips from time to time. Hats off for the amazing writer who managed to mix those 2 extremely paradox feelings. One of the sentences will stay in my mind forever when May Crandill returned to her adoptive family's home and said " you don't have to be born in a family to be loved by them"

[@LifeBetweenWords1]

I have been so curious to read this ever since I saw it take the top spot in the goodreads awards. I’d never even heard of it! So glad you give it the thumbs up! I’d like to read it.

[@pauljacobs3839]

This infuriates me, to think someone would capture and kidnap and then steal and sell someone else’s children is beyond evil. My blood boils every time I think about it. 3:30

[@McPeg7]

This book was the best I have read in quite a while. I loved the way the story unfolded and the authors choice of descriptive words. I recommend this story to everyone.

[@MrMkmitch]

I first heard about the home on 60 minutes and when I saw the book I wanted to read it plus the cover is amazing, a real hook. You are spot on about the book needing a peaceful ending to fully savor the read. I recommended this to my Church book club, we will be talking about it on 9/27.

[@LesReadBooks]

This sounds really interesting. I love historical fiction and I need a new read to add to my TBR.

[@lindaganos2697]

I have read this twice in the past 2 months.... PROFOUND Story.... wonderful read,,, I loved both story lines :)

[@emradi2009]

Recently read this!! Amazing book and what makes it better is that it was based on true events

[@nancycarlson9169]

Book is disturbing yet uplifting. Emphasizes the unbreakable bonds between siblings, especially sisters. I could have done without the romance which came to an obvious conclusion but it's well written and Rill is an unforgettable character. I did find some confusion with the timeline. If Judy is 78, then that would make May 90.

[@vanillahearts62]

I don't read that much historical fiction either, but this one sounds pretty good! "The Blood of Flowers" by Anita Amirrezvani was really good, here is my review: " I really enjoyed this book. It was about a young girl living with her parents, and for reasons I will not reveal, she begins to learn the craft of making carpets. This book is a story of her struggles through various social and cultural expectations in 17th century Iran. I really enjoyed this book because it taught me more about Middle Eastern religions (as in, daily expectations and rituals), family dynamics, and the art of making carpets. Each character felt real, emotional, and unique. The character building was magnificent, the plot was emotional, and the writing flowed really well. Definitely recommended." Another one I read and enjoyed was about the Civil War, which I know nothing about. It's called A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner. Here's a segment of my review: "This is a book about loss. There are elements of the Civil War in the history a house named Holly Oak. The characters that live there feel the haunting nature of the house and all respond differently to it. The intersection of lives between characters of the present and the past is a very important concept to the themes in this book, and I believe Susan Meissner does an excellent job executing the emotions of both the characters and the environment to fulfill these themes. The characters are primarily female, and I found the prose to give off a feminine edge to it as well. This works in Susan Meissner's favour because the plot is driven by emotion which is usually associated with females. Women of all backgrounds can relate. "

[@vanillahearts62]

Yes, its the US civil war, sorry lol. I'm in Canada and we didn't learn anything about USA history, so I found it interesting.

[@brandnewbooksmell531]

My favorite book read last year! Loved it! ❤️

[@kathymills1925]

This was the last book I read (actually listened to as I "read" it as an audiobook) in 2017. It was at least one of if not my favorite book of the year! I loved it too! I don't read a ton of historical fiction. My favorite genre is mystery/suspense/psychological thriller. However, another great historical fiction story I read last year was The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I highly recommend that one.

[@brandnewbooksmell531]

Kathy Mills YES!! Loved that book too!! ❤️

[@MicahsHope48]

Have I heard of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society? Yes. I am a child adopted out of that place! The hideous Georgia Tann. She died before she was prosecuted.

[@sayranhadi2633]

I am extremely sorry to hear that you were one of their victims! I cannot imagine the life you had under their roof! Glad that the house is shut down. Even though, the decision came late but late is better than never!

[@Albatraze_]

I enjoyed the ending, not a happy ending but fulfilling

[@PNWanderer]

I encourage anyone who likes this book to also read The Girls Who Went Away

[@lotusgrl444]

This book is hard for me to read. As a mom, its unthinkable what so many parents lived through. I personally was moved by the story but not sure I could read another sad story with this theme.....

[@SunriseFireberry]

Did Ms Tann get jail time? Have u ever been to Memphis? How's your fav future soccer star? If u wanna try historical fiction try Willa Cather. I mean you could try War and Peace and Middlemarch but then I'd have to give you a quiz afterwards to see if you remembered all the details. :-D :-D

[@SunriseFireberry]

Walking in Memphis? I'm Canadian & the only US land I recall walking on are in upstate NY, VT or Maine. The biggest places I've ever been in USA are such metropolises as Bangor, Burlington, Calais, St. Albans, Montpelier, and Plattsburgh. In theory they were safer than NYC, Orlando, Las Vegas et al & the theory proved correct.

[@SunriseFireberry]

Play him this song kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWXKkpKDar-XpJY Maybe he'll get the message. Ma was a breech. I arrived 17 days early, certainly no breech, & Ma had to walk across the street to get to the hospital. Hope the soccer player copies me.

[@tishadorsett9456]

I love this book ♥️♥️♥️

[@tishadorsett9456]

Sarah AirKite this book is amazing!! I couldn’t put it down

[@tishadorsett9456]

There are a few questionable part. Don’t remember it getting really graphic.

[@tishadorsett9456]

What age group are u reading it to