Description

Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA is the highly suspenseful account of an adoptee trying to reclaim the biological family denied him by sealed birth records. This fascinating quest, including the author's landmark use of DNA testing, takes readers on an exhilarating roller-coaster ride and concludes with a twist that rivals anything Hollywood has to offer.

In the vein of a classic mystery, Hill gathers the seemingly scant evidence surrounding the circumstances of his birth. As his resolve shores up, the author also avails of new friends, genealogists, the Internet, and the latest DNA tests in the new field of genetic genealogy. As he closes in on the truth of his ancestry, he is able to construct a living, breathing portrait of the young woman who was faced with the decision to forsake her rights to her child, and ultimately the man whose identity had remained hidden for decades.

Finding Family offers guidance, insight, and motivation for anyone engaged in a similar mission, from ways to obtain information to the many networks that can facilitate adoption searches. The book includes a detailed guide to DNA and genetic genealogy and how they can produce irrefutable results in determining genetic connections and help adoptees bypass sealed records and similar stumbling blocks.

About the Author

Richard Hill was the first adoptee to identify his birth family through genetic genealogy DNA tests. He shared his story in an award-winning book, "Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA.” He has founded two websites on DNA testing, most recently, DNAFavorites.com. Richard gives presentations on genetic genealogy topics both virtually and in person. He is a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild and the American Adoption Congress. He lives in Michigan with his wife of 54 years.

Praise For…

“An engaging, page-turning memoir that thoughtfully puts together the pieces of a family puzzle.”
—Kirkus Reviews

"Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, an inherently fascinating and compelling read from beginning to end, Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA is an extraordinary account."
—Midwest Book Review

"Mr. Hill has the rare talent of telling his family research and story interestingly enough to keep the reader engaged. He covers many years of searching, but moves the story along nicely. Mr. Hill offers his story from the perspective of an adoptee. It’s a different way to tell the age-old story of wondering about your ancestors, and it’s interesting to read about his feelings about his biological roots, the parents who raised him, and the wonderings of why the events of his life happened. A very satisfying read."
—Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
 

"Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, an inherently fascinating and compelling read from beginning to end, Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA is an extraordinary account. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that Finding Family is also available in digital book format and as a complete and unabridged audio book."