Kim V. reviewed on 11/27/2009 + 54 more book reviews

âThough we share so many secrets
There are some we never tellâ

The Stranger by Billy Joel

When journalist Steve Luxenberg discovers after his mother's death that she was not an only child, bur rather had a physically and mentally disabled sister, Annie, he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind his mother's secret. What he discovers is a societal and legal system that for decades sequestered the mentally ill and disabled into institutions â leaving behind few traces of the person institutionalized. And on a personal level, he gains insight into his mother's abandonment of Annie. Luxenburg surmises that his mother felt compelled to keep her sister's existence a secret because at that time (the 30's - 40's) âpsychiatry was a long way from curing the seriously ill; and . . . genetics [were believed to] be a factor.â

Although Luxenberg's quest does not uncover all the answers to his questions he expresses overall satisfaction with the results. He reflects that âmy search has allowed me to achieve a freedom of my own: free to see my mother as she was, free to embrace her flaws and accept her choices, free to put aside, once and for all, [and] the pain of not being able to help her . . .â

Annie's Ghosts is a fascinating detective story/memoir of one son's determination to understand.

Publisher: Hyperion (May 5, 2009)
Review Copy Provided Courtesy of the publisher and FSB Associates.

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