Finding Family : My Search for Roots and the Secrets in my DNA

Having worked on the genealogy of my own family for over 50 years (I began when I was 15, and I'm 67 now), and having spent much of the last decade embracing DNA testing and genetic genealogy, I was surprised that I'd never heard of Hill's book sooner, especially upon learning that he's considered to be the first adoptee to ever find his biological family by use of DNA.

Even with my interest, however, I wasn't sure how "current" the book would feel with its 2012 original publication date (2017 for this edition), or how well it might hold the reader's interest. Boy, was I surprised! I quickly found myself not wanting to put the book down, needing to know what was going to happen next! The journey had more surprises and twists than some show more mysteries and thrillers I've read. Hill's telling of the tale is definitely engaging and interesting, as well as easy-to-understand. I was describing it to a friend of mine a few days ago and now she's planning to purchase and read the book as well. Don't pass this one up! show less

How quickly we forget how time consuming family research was just two decades ago and in the case of DNA searches, how far we've come in the past five years! Finding Family is the story of Richard Hill's dogged search for the truth about his birth parents. The search took him more than twenty years and included the use of advanced technology as it was emerging. At the same time the author tells his story as if it were a novel with intriguing twists and turns. With a 2012 publication date I was a little concerned that it would feel dated. However, as genealogists, it is good for us to be reminded that not everything will be found on the Internet and that to do a complete and exhaustive search we must use a great variety of techniques and show more resources. show less

This book was a very interesting read of Richard Hill's search for his birth family. Hill was adopted and his search encompasses many decades and is helped by many people along the way. There are bureaucratic road blocks to navigate and many leads that fizzle out. As we follow the author through his quest the changing face of technology is also shown. Hill started out before the internet but adapted to new search tools as he went until he was able to prove that he had the right family connection through the use of DNA testing.

After I got home from work yesterday I found this book in my mailbox. I finished it last night because it was so captivating.

Loved this book, a true story about a man using every tool that he can think of to crack the mystery of the identity of his birth parents. I love reading about genealogy and family history but many of these kinds of books, although informative, are a little dry. I was surprised to find that this book was a real page turner and I couldn't stop until it was finished. In the retelling of the story of his search for his birth family, the author also demonstrated how family researchers use every clue from interviews, public documents, vital records, meticulous note-taking and analysis, and finally DNA confirmation to build evidence for their family trees. He also showed how family research is not usually a "fast food" kind of project. It show more takes real dedication, lots of time and money, and also the willingness to go further than family myths and face what the evidence proves. Many thanks to the author and his entire family for sharing their story. show less

Finding Family was an engaging read with the best possible outcome for the author. Mr Hill's decency and thoughtfulness rang through this book as he made the decision to search for his biological family. I appreciated how thoroughly he outlined the process and how he never whitewashed how complicated and fraught it can be. He took on many poignant issues as he searched for his birth mother and father, especially around the sexual lives of his birth parents and its implications for the next generations. One point that I disagree with Mr. Hill is about his belief in the importance of not hurting family members in the search process. While a laudable goal I think, at times a family member might feel hurt during a search and it may not be show more helped. For example, there are adoptive parents who do feel hurt that their child wants to look for a parent and while respecting their feelings and being as reassuring as possible, a person who is adopted might need to do it anyway and this is OK. Other than that, this was a heartwarming, well-written story and I am thrilled for the author that he found what he needed in his journey.

One other thought is that Mr Hill rated his own book on another site and I think it is best to trust the readers of your book to do that,

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this book for an honest opinion. show less

When Richard was visiting his doctor prior to leaving for college, his doctor asked him, "How do you feel about being adopted?" This came as a complete surprise; Richard had no idea that he was adopted. Over the course of the next thirty-one years, in between "life" commitments, he worked to identify his biological identity. He was not a genealogist, but before his discovery journey was over, he learned many of the strategies used by genealogist. However, his biggest breakthroughs came through the advancements in DNA testing. Throughout the process, he was fortunate to connect with some volunteers who specialized in assisting adoptees. Finding Family is a good mystery, as well as a story of family and love; it contains many unexpected show more twists and turns. Even though this book covers more than three decades, it is a page turner; a must read for adoptees and for anyone interested in genetic genealogy. show less

Richard Hill relates the story of his search for his birth parents and half-siblings over about a quarter of a century. It was an on and off search that shows how persistence pays off. His story also shows the advances in genetic genealogy during the course of his story. This is a book that adoptees who are interested in DNA testing need to read. While not everyone will be as successful in identifying their birth parents as Hill was, it does provide some encouragement for those who are still plugging away. I was a bit disappointed that there were not more photos and illustrations to accompany his narrative. Although I know what a chromosome browser looks like, many of Hill's potential readers do not and would benefit from an show more illustration, even if it does not show his actual family's genes due to privacy concerns of his half-siblings and cousins. While Hill is a good writer, the self-published narrative could have used some additional editing. show less