Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging
by Julie Ryan McGue
GENRE: Memoir
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/11/2021
DESCRIPTION:
Julie is adopted. She is also a twin. Because their adoption was closed, she and her sister lack both a health history and their adoption papers ― which becomes an issue for Julie when, at 48 years old, she finds herself facing several serious health issues.
Julie's search for her birth relatives spans years and involves a search agency, a PI, a confidential intermediary, a judge, an adoption agency, a social worker and a genealogist. By journey's end, what began as a simple desire for a family medical history has evolved into a complicated quest ― one that unearths secrets, lies and family members that are literally right next door.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Julie Ryan McGue is an American writer, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. She is the author of three published works: "Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging" (She Writes Press, 2021), "Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship" (Muse Literary, 2023) and "Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood" (She Writes Press, Feb. 2025). Her work has appeared in multiple journals, anthologies, and online sites, such as Writer’s Digest, Story Circle Network Journal, Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Adoption.com and Severance Magazine. She also writes a bi-weekly blog and monthly column for her hometown newspaper in which she explores the topics of finding out who you are, where you belong and making sense of it. Julie splits her time between northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida.
REVIEWS:
“An engaging and endearing chronicle of a woman’s quest to find her origins.” ― Kirkus
“'Twice a Daughter' is a testament to evolving social norms, eradicating the former shame of illicit pregnancy, and a recognition of family bonds.” ― Story Circle
"'Twice a Daughter' is an expertly written, finely paced and deeply moving narrative about the author’s search for her birth parents. There will be adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents who will identify with the challenges, but any reader will be interested in this very human well told story." ― Barbara Stark-Nemon
2022 16th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in Parenting & Family
2022 International Book Awards Winner in Parenting & Family
2021 NYC Big Book Awards Winner in Personal Growth
2021 Living Now Awards Gold Winner in Memoir—Female
2021 Nonfiction Book Awards Silver Winner in Biography & Memoir—General
2021 Indiana Press Award Winner in Memoir
COMPARATIVE FILM/BOOK:
Film: "Philomena", "Secrets & Lies","Lion". Books: "The Girls Who Went Away" by Ann Fessler, "Found: A Memoir" by Michaela McCollum
CASTING:
Julie/Jenny twins: Amy Adams, Michelle Monaghan; Jeanne Ryan: Meryl Streep; Shirley: Frances McDormand
PRIMARY VENUES/LOCATIONS WITHIN THE BOOK:
Chicago, Illinois and its suburbs; Big Sky, Montana
BOOK EXCERPT:
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