Product Description

A loving family, a child on the way, and a secret concealed generations ago that will tear their lives apart! 'The Family Tree' is issue-led women's fiction perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult. Dana Clarke has it all -- a husband, Hugh, who she adores, a beautiful home in a wealthy area, and a baby on the way. But, when her daughter, Lizzie, is born, what should be the happiest day of her life turns out to be the moment that her world falls apart. Lizzie is beautiful, healthy, and black! Born from two white parents, there are only two possibilities: that a distant relative was of African descent, or that Dana has had an affair. As the Clarke family reel from the shock, accusations are thrown and soon the trust that Dana and Hugh had prided themselves on is slipping away. So begins a poignant journey to uncover the truth about their past, to discover what legacy their ancestors left them. And, as the stability of the Clarke family is torn apart, the reader is forced to ask how much any one of us really knows about our own identity.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #120681 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 330 pages

Review
Praise for 'The Family Tree': 'Delinsky's writing is fluid and makes for a hard-to-put down book as she deftly blends tense family drama with heavy political issues' Glamour '...a sensitive exploration of the prejudices that many hold but few express...a page turner that asks serious questions about America's relationship with its past' The Times 'Fans of Jodi Picoult will love this...a poignant family story' Daily Express 'A really interesting and sometimes harrowing tale that makes compelling reading.' Sun Praise for 'The Family Tree': 'Delinsky writes with insight about complex family matters, and here adds thought-provoking concerns about race in America in a novel that will stir debate and inspire self-examination.' Booklist 'Delinsky smoothly challenges characters and readers alike to confront their hidden hypocrises (while getting) the political and personal dynamics just right.' Publishers Weekly 'Delinsky admirably allows her characters to acknowledge and correct their biases. Fail-safe delivery of an issues-packed story.' Kirkus Reviews '"The Family Tree" is warm, rich, textured, and impossible to put down.' Nora Roberts, author of 'Valley of Silence Praise for Barbara Delinsky: 'Delinsky delves deeper into the human heart and spirit with each new novel' The Inquirer 'Delinsky excels at!insightful portrayal[s] of captivating people facing challenges both ordinary and dramatic' Booklist

About the Author
Barbara Delinsky grew up in suburban Boston, US. A master of emotional intensity, she touches the minds and hearts of her readers with intricately woven stories of domestic drama and relationships. Her books regularly appear on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today Bestseller Lists.

Customer Reviews

An unput downable book
The book follows the story of a female child born to an apparently white American couple. The baby is part coloured. The child's mother had no knowledge of her father's identity or colour so'it must be her family where there is coloured blood.
This was a good book enjoyed by myself and my wife. It should probably be required reading for any American couple looking forward to the birth of a baby.By some three quarters of the way through it appeared that things were going to work out for the families concerned but there were major unexpected events to unfold. There were a few unanswered questions at the end leaving the reader to wonder what eventually happened.

Interesting story, if nothing else...
I must admit that although I agree with much of what the other reviewers have said about `FAMILY TREE' that I did enjoy it despite it's obvious flaws. The thing that made this story enjoyable was the concept, a child with clearly African-American traits born to a white couple with no knowledge of African roots on either side. The fact that `FAMILY TREE' is an easy to read novel where everything unfolds pretty quickly helps make the story all the more enjoyable.

Being that I myself am African-American, I am not sure how a white couple brought up a certain way would react to this particular situation and although I thought that many of their reactions, as well as those of their friends and family, were unbelievable I did think that Hugh's (the child's father) initial response was the most genuine. Although I disliked his character's behavior immensely after the birth of his daughter I am sure that many men in his situation would have reacted similarly in wanting a DNA test. However, it was the reactions of the people affected by the revelation of where the child's African-American traits came from that were the most outrageous to me. While most of me wanted to tell them to get a grip, part of me believes that there are people who would feel similarly and not know what to do with the knowledge that they were anything but 100% white.

Overall `FAMILY TREE' has an interesting plot line and is very easy to read and enjoyable to boot. Definitely a great book club selection, 4 stars!

a deserving read!
PLEASE give this slim tome a read! I. myself am one half of a british couple, and am totally caucasian.I feel this book gives an excellent outlook on the American system and the hypocritical that is handed down through generations of so called "upper American caucasian echelons". and has an interesting, happily unexpected ending, when it turns out to have a totally, unbelievable twist. READ IT PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!