Synopsis "My Father's Daughter: Our Final Journey with Dad"
Who the hell are the Joneses, anyway? Certainly not the Clark Family from Des Moines, Iowa. But actually, is author Suzy White's experience growing up in Baby Boomer America any more dysfunctional than anyone else's? Just how atypical are infidelity, mental instability, and homosexuality really? Perhaps it does not depict the recipe for the American Dream, but My Father's Daughter is a humorous, respectful, and powerful testament to the lasting connection of family. The author pulls no punches as she delves deeply into the trials, triumphs, and tribulations that were experienced under the Clark roof. With bracing honesty she tells the intimate details without a hint of malice or anger, leaving judgment behind as she paints a portrait of her father and mother in painstaking detail. They are delivered in a fully rendered, three-dimensional context where the goal is understanding and, in the end, acceptance and love. In so doing she delivers a heartwarming ode to a father who epitomized the meaning of the word character and became a transformational figure for each of his six children. Using flashbacks to trace the formative years of the Clark family, White's recounting of the final five months of her father's life is entertaining, yet touching and cathartic. Portraying her family realistically, warts and all, her straightforward narrative is respectful and reverent, revealing and frank. My Father's Daughter is an affirmation of our need for family and the enduring power of love.
