THE BLOCKBUSTER HIT—Over two million copies sold! A New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly Bestseller“Poignant, engrossing.”—People • “Lisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation’s history and weaves a tale of enduring power.”—Paula McLain Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their … Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.
Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.
Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.
Publishers Weekly’s #3 Longest-Running Bestseller of 2017 • Winner of the Southern Book Prize • If All Arkansas Read the Same Book Selection
“Sure to be one of the most compelling books you pick up this year. . . . Wingate is a master-storyteller, and you’ll find yourself pulled along as she reveals the wake of terror and heartache that is Georgia Tann’s legacy.”—Parade
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A well-written dual timeline story which is based on the sad history of a Memphis adoption scam. What happened is horrifying but the sweet characters shine through. This story will stay with you.
This is a haunting story of the horrors perpetrated by the Mississippi Children’s Home Society.
The story of one family where the home took all of the children. It is a sobering, well told tale of what really happened to children who were stolen, beaten, sold, and murdered. I recommend it.
If you like a story inspired by true events, this book is a must read. Instead of families separated by slavery, these are white blond-and blue-eye children stolen from their homes, or parents tricked to relinquish custody after birth. Another part of American history that is shameful. Good read.
Some authors are wonderful storytellers, others are masterful handlers of language. Lisa Wingate is both. I’ve been an admirer of hers since I first read her novel Tending Roses.
It’s appalling to realize Georgia Tann, through the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, was able to destroy families, abuse and terrorize the children she stole, and dupe the public for so many years. Yet as horrific as the historic facts may be, Wingate weaves hope, determination, and love throughout this gripping novel. It’s no wonder the book has received so many accolades, and I am so glad I finally had the opportunity to read it. I love how Wingate linked the past with the present, combining historical accuracy with engaging, true-to-life fictional characters in a story that has stayed with me long after I finished the book.
WOW! Just WOW! Mesmerizing and heartfelt. This book tells an achingly beautiful story of a fictional family, based in fact, that is told with respect and love. The story, told seventy years apart, weaves you through the love, pain and grief, of siblings torn from their family and ripped apart. It is told with a gentle hand that demonstrates care for the reader. This is a horrific chapter in the history of our country and almost unthinkable that it could happen. I wanted to reach into the pages of the book, and pull the children out. You will never forget this book. Excellent read!
Wingate brings to life a secret, terrible time in American history. While tragic, she brings the story to a happy ending and reminds us all the treasure of hope.
Based on a true story, I was captivated by the story of children literally stolen from their parents. Wingate is a gifted storyteller and did a beautiful job of entwining dual timelines. I didn’t want this story to end.
This is a story about the Foss family and how they struggled while living on the river and Georgia Tann, the women who owned and ran the Tennesee Children’s Home Society, stole over 5,000 children, abused, starved, killed many of them. The story is combined with a women, Avery, whose grandmother is in a living facility with dementia. Lisa Wingate tells how their lives intertwine using actual information from the 70 year old history.
I found the book hard to put down as I enjoyed the process of the search for the children and just the whole story behind all of this. It horrified me how the children were treated. Probably many of the children were better of in a home that could provide more, but Georgia Tann stole children right out of the hosptial after telling the parents that their children died or had the parents sign over their children while the mother was still under anesthesia. Since there were no adoption laws back then and Georgia Tann had everyone on her payroll, she got away with everything she did. Unfortunately, she died of cancer before she could pay her dues.
I like Lisa Wingate’s writing. The story flowed nicely and her descriptions of situations were understandable. I thought the ending was complete. I will be reading more of her stories.
The story is well written and compelling, grabbing the reader and firmly inserting them back in time to 1939 Memphis. Though the truths of the story are terribly disturbing, I am grateful for having had the opportunity to have my eyes opened to such events. Knowing better means we do better and I can only hope we do much, much better for the children of the world today and going forward. A captivating read full of insight, heartache, and hope.
I know I’m late to the Before We Were Yours fan club, but WOW, better late than never. This story, based on the true scandal of children stolen and sold for profit is fascinating. If you’re one of the few readers left in the world who hasn’t read this wonderful story by Lisa Wingate, do yourself a favor and get it now. Then pick up the true stories in the companion non-fiction book just released BEFORE AND AFTER written by Lisa and her friend Judy Christie.
Wonderful story based on a real event in our history. All the feels with this one!
This book was amazing, heart-breaking, and wonderful, to say the least. The story was heart-breaking and haunting, and horrifying. Why? The characters and their specific stories are fiction, but they could have happened because the historical events that this novel came from are true. That knowledge had me in tears more than once. Lisa Wingate took a point in history that was absolutely horrible and, with a deft hand and beautiful writing, created a story and characters that will stay with me forever. Be prepared for this one, you will forget everything while you are immersed in it until the last word.
#BeforeWeWereYours #LisaWingate #BallantineBooks
This book had me hooked from the beginning. It has to do with a piece of Tennessee history, where a woman named Georgia Tann, ran the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in Memphis; here she ran a black market baby adoption scheme (1920’s-1950) illegally taking children from their parents.
The book is a work of fiction except for the facts above. The main family that we read about is a made up family, but the author had heard a lot of stories from the actual children, who were there in the children’ home, thus giving us a true to life feel for what went on in this home.
This book takes place both in the past and present and starting in 1939 we follow the lives of the Foss family, where there are five siblings, Rill, 12 the oldest and her four siblings, three more girls and a young boy. They live on a boat on the Mississippi river, but when the mother is having difficulties in her present pregnancy, the father is forced to take her to a hospital, leaving Rill in charge of her siblings on the boat, and here is where everything changes.
Now in present day, we follow the life of Avery Stafford, a privileged thirty something, lawyer and daughter of a politician. She comes home to Aiken South Carolina to help her father who is having health problems, and help him with his reelection. While touring a nursing home with him, she has an encounter with one of the residents, that leaves her with some uncomfortable questions and wanting to look into her families history.
This book really keeps you interested and it was fascinating to see how these different characters from the two different time periods and generations mesh together.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.
This is an emotional story that will stay with you forever!
I grew up near Memphis. It is so hard to imagine how all of this actually happened.
I loved this book. The story was heart-breaking but so well written. I felt the anquish on every page.
Wingate writes of an unthinkable chapter in our nation’s history with grace and skill. Her characters, while fictionalized, are as real as the monstrous Georgia Tann and the devastation she wreaked on children and families through her Tennessee Children’s Home Society. Its characters will stay with you long after you put the book down. Powerful tale of resilience amidst unspeakable horrors.
I really enjoyed this book! Towards the end I didn’t want to put it down. I will be looking up more on the subject. It makes me sad for the families that suffered because of a few greedy, dishonest people. I really hoped for a happier ending for the river shanty family. They were happy. They may have had a better life in the end, but the anguish and mistreatment they suffered is unspeakable
Beautiful in every way, and a terrific book club read.
This was such an amazing historical fiction that made be cry the entire time. While, it was sad and heartbreaking, the ending left me feeling hopeful.