THIS AMERICAN FAMILY: Growing Up As A Red Diaper Baby - A Memoir

Many have heard of the Hollywood Ten who were blacklisted as actors and screen writers and the famous mystery writer Dashiell Hammett who went to jail because he refused to co-operate with the House Un-American Activities Committee. But few have heard the stories of the ordinary men and women who were fired from their jobs and harassed in their homes, often guilty of nothing more than standing up for what they believed to be their civil rights.


This is the story of one such family's struggle to survive when they are stripped of their rights and livelihood during the years between 1947 and 1954, known as the McCarthy era. It is told from the oldest child's point of view, as their normal life is turned upside down when her parents refuse to "name names." They begin a cross country odyssey as they try to find jobs and build new lives. But just as they begin to feel safe, suspicions disrupt their newly built lives. Along the way, they meet all kinds of Americans and discover that love and courage often come when and where they are least expected. 


This is a story for anyone who has felt torn between family loyalties and the outside world, for anyone who has had to leave behind people and places they love, and who has had to grow up too soon.