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Family Secrets
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Family Secrets. We all have them. And while the discovery of family secrets can initially be terrifying or traumatic, often these discoveries have the power to liberate, heal, and even uplift us. Join Dani Shapiro, bestselling author of the memoir Inheritance, and her guests as they explore astonishing family secrets and uncover the extraordinary lessons the truth can teach us.
241 Episodes
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2After being coerced into homeschool by a mother whose love threatens to consume him, Stefan must confront how an isolated childhood shrouded in secrecy will shape his life. Stefan Merrill Block's memoir is titled Homeschooled.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Marion and Tony are madly, deeply in love. But there are obstacles to their relationship, namely Tony’s sexual preference. When Tony loses his life to AIDS, Marion discovers just how many obstacles there really were. This year is the 30th Anniversary of Marion Winik's memoir, First Comes Love.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In his locked study, Dorothy’s father works on his book. For years. And years. And years. But it’s not until after his death that Dorothy uncovers the secrets in between its unfinished pages. Dorothy Roberts is the author of The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Karen vanishes with her children to escape a violent marriage, erasing a life in order to save it. But eventually, when it’s safe—if it’s safe—she must come out of hiding. Karen Palmer's book, She's Under Here, is out now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 1998, long before Dani discovered the truth of her biological paternity, she published a story called “The Secret Wife” about the discovery of her father’s second wife, a secret marriage that had been hidden for decades. Today, she reads and reflects on this story—the uncovering of the silent grief and buried histories that shaped her. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Francesca sets out to understand her father’s past, she is faced with a world of crime, silence, and denial. But it’s not just his past she must reckon with; it’s her present, her inheritance of a story no one wanted to tell. Francesca Fontana is the author of The Family Snitch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sam grows up without knowing his biological father. As he enters adolescence, he begins to resemble Bob Dylan. A lot. So when Sam learns his mother had a brief relationship with Dylan in the 70s, the cascade of questions begins to flow. Sam Sussman's book, Boy from the North Country, is out now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After centuries of ancestral trauma, Julian must listen closely to the stories of his family —stories of survival, memory, myth and generations of erasure—in order to discover the story of himself. Julian Brave NoiseCat's book, We Survived the Night, is out now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Amanda’s parents’ eccentricities take a dark turn toward hoarding, scheming, and secret-keeping, the walls begin to literally close in on her. As the chaos and deceit grows in volume around her, she must figure out how to escape. Amanda Uhle's book is titled Destroy This House.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Kate begins to recover haunting memories, she must confront a family history shaped by silence and generational harm. What follows is her quest to piece together the truth and reclaim a stolen childhood. Kate Price's book, This Happened to Me: A Reckoning, is out now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ari’el has spent his life playing characters, trying on different identities. But at a certain point he must discover who—beneath all these competing selves—he truly is. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thursday, November 13th. New Secrets. New Stories. New Season. Join us next week for our thirteenth launch!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Author and podcaster Gretchen Rubin joins Dani to talk about aphorisms and family secrets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Updates, Workshops, and Special Guests!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A ninety-year old father and his youngest daughter come together to unpack a secret that altered—and ultimately made sense of— the shape of each of their lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Not every member of a family is told the same story. Elissa wrestles with the necessity of claiming her voice, even as telling her own singular truth may exact a painful price.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A box of letters. A hidden life. A history rewritten. Susan must reckon with how to move forward—how to be a daughter, a sister, a mother—after so much staggering change.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As E.A. takes to the road on a route once taken with her mother, she must confront the stories we inherit, the ones we choose to tell, and the one’s we don’t.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What does it mean to be a family of one? Steven examines his search for belonging in the wake of disappearance, loss, and profound mystery.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Marian’s body knows something her brain does not. It takes years before she finally has the language to define herself. To be herself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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were so similar to my childhood. I really don't want to go to uni to find out the truth though.
She was nuts. Such a sad story.
Background music is no longer background
This is infuriating
ugh
why am i hearing an ad for shitty tony robbins on your podcast? i know you are aware of his victimization and manipulation tactics. this is so incredibly disappointing.
what a remarkable episode...thank you both
I love this podcast but there are suddenly too many ads.
This is shite. Child porn ? and she let him back in?
where do we listen to more ?
Very interesting and definitely bizarre relationship.
Dizziness is a symptom of untreated hyperthyroidism.... frustrating.
At around 33-34 minutes, they're talking about your people who haven't been in their circumstances don't get how they feel. I think, if you can't have at least some sort of understanding, then you're pretty cold. Seriously! You're talking about Who You Are! These people who claim to love you have kept the biggest secret from you! plus the whole town knows, except you?! I'm not sure I would ever want to talk to them again! What a terrible family. Did they ever say they were sorry even!?
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A little disappointed in this particular episode even though I really get alot from this podcast. The secret didnt really feel like much of one and I found it hard to relate to what often sounded like a bit of entitled griping.
I'm a fan of this podcast; I find it incredibly moving and powerful. But this one had me annoyed and frustrated. Did Cassandra listen to what she was saying? More than once she praised herself as an academic "who knows research" but it never occurred to her to check newspapers? She grew up as a Black woman in Alabama and by her own words has written often about race and racism but was surprised about the racism in news reporting in AL in the 60s? Just really silly and annoying.
Jace Alexander is a pedophile. it's not illegal porn it's child porn. Sexual abuse of children. His wife is either ok with this or extremely niave.
Just too wierd.