Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro

Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro is a heartfelt exploration of the complexities of identity and family in a genetic age. It is a powerful memoir that follows Dani’s personal journey to unlock her family’s secrets and trace the truth of her paternity.

Shapiro was dealt a surprising turn in her life when she discovered via a direct-to-consumer DNA test that her father, who she had recently lost to cancer, was not in fact her biological father. In Inheritance, she details how this shocking news led to her quest for answers about her true paternity and her identity. In the process, Shapiro unravels the unexpected truth about her family’s secretive past that her mother had kept from her for decades.

The memoir weaves together Shapiro's journey of uncovering her family's truths and secret past, while also reflecting on her relationship with her father. Through her story and her powerful writing, Shapiro invites her readers to explore the complexities of identity in the new frontier of DNA and international adoption. In a time where genetic testing has become swift and accessible, Inheritance illuminates how it's more important than ever to thoughtfully examine the secrets that genes may hold and how to responsibly seek to uncover them.

Shapiro draws from her own experience and memories to tell her family’s story of secrets and lies, but she also brings in stories from the larger picture to frame her quest. She seamlessly blends the personal and universal with stories of a “Secret History,” expert and personal revelations, and interfaith conversations that provide touching insight on Jewish identity.

The intimate portrait of Shapiro’s quest is also laced with reflections on romance, marriage, and family. Shapiro is married to her former professor, and the pair’s long relationship, journey to parenthood, and all of their uncertainties along the way, add a layer of heartwarming beauty to the memoir.

Inheritance is a thought-provoking and timely exploration of identity in a world where genetic information is becoming increasingly accessible. Shapiro brings her compassionate and emotional writing to bear to explore what it means to be of a family and to be a person. It is a powerful story of identity and love that provides a valuable reminder that we are more than the sum of our DNA.