Review: Secret Daughter
Norma Booth, an aspiring white actress, found herself pregnant with the child of James Cross, a black comedian in the early 1950’s. When the child, June, was born, Norma thought she’d be able to raise her. Once she realized the difficulties involved, she left June with Peggy and Paul, a black couple in Atlantic City, New Jersey. June was told to call them “Aunt Peggy” and “Uncle Paul.”
Norma kept in contact with June and even insisted in having a say in how she was being raised. When June would visit her mother, she was told to call her aunt as well. At one time her mother said to her,
You know, if you hadn’t gotten darker as you grew older, you could have stayed with me. You wouldn’t have to live with Peggy.
June had a pleasant life with Peggy and Paul, but longed to be with her mother, even though her mother gave her mixed messages and made racist comments to her.
After having three children by three different men, Norma married Larry Storch of F-Troop fame. Larry accepted June and helped Peggy and Paul financially. When June appeared in a picture of F-Troop‘s cast and family another intricate lie was made up to explain her existence as Larry’s adopted daughter.
As she grew older and became more curious, June discovered that Norma had 3 children and didn’t raise any of them. Upon further investigation, she discovered that her mother was only following a pattern that had been set by her own mother.
Secret Daughter: A Mixed-Race Daughter and the Mother who Gave her Away by June Cross tells June’s life story. It’s also a fascinating peek at race relations and attitudes of the 1950’s, when lighter skinned black people would try to “pass” as white. I found June’s story heartbreaking at times and really wanted to choke her mother because of her insensitivity. It seemed like all June ever wanted was love and acceptance from her mother. It was amazing that June could keep track of all the lies that were told to explain her existence. I wondered how anyone could treat a child, especially their own, with such indifference. I enjoyed this book and found myself talking about it to anyone who would listen – there’s a lot to discuss in it.
June Cross is a journalist and television producer. Her film, Secret Daughter, won an Emmy in 1997. Today, she is an associate professor at Columbia University.
Review copy provided by Author Marketing Experts.
Sounds like a good book. I, too, wonder how a woman could carry and give birth to a child and then not care about it. I think I’ll look for this one.
I’m glad that you liked it, I really loved reading this book.
I was so frustrated with June’s mom. It was unbelievable the things that would come out of her mouth and the things that she would do. It’s interesting because her mother had a trouble past and in a lot of ways she wasn’t able to overcome it, not for her children or for herself, but yet having a troubled past had a different effect on her daughter who tried more to forgive and understand and be different.
I know June says it was for the best that things turned out the way they did but I really wished for the little June that Peggy had been allowed to really raise apart from her mom’s influence. Fascinating story, and a great review.
Sounds like this might make a good book club selection!
wow this book seems to touch on a lot of things from the 1950s and how a mother’s example can be carried into further generations…thanks for this thorough review.
“You know, if you hadn’t gotten darker as you grew older, you could have stayed with me. You wouldn’t have to live with Peggy.”
What a thing to say to your own daughter! Like it’s her fault!! Augh…sometimes people are so disappointing.
Wow…this sounds like a book that would bring many different emotions to light. Thanks for the great review Kathy.
I must look out for this book. Thanks for the review.
As an aside:
In India, even now a girl child is abandoned in some places. It does not matter which social strata. As I teach girls, I find this issue very close to heart.
Sorry for skipping most of your review as I have this book in my TBR. But I did read the last 2 para’s and the quote. Glad to know you liked it. I’ll be starting this soon.
It is a sad truth that some women should never be allowed to be mothers. I’d like to think that with better birth control than in the fifties (birth control pills didn’t come out until the sixties) a situation like Norma’s doesn’t happen as often. Such a sad story. I agree with Tricia – this would make a good book club book. Lots to discuss.
As a mother, it’s so hard to understand treating a child like June’s mother did. This sounds like a book that will make you think, I like those!
Wow…sounds like an amazing book. Thank you for the review. I’m adding it to my wish list!
This sounds touching. It sounds like June’s mother was piece of work!
i can’t imagine a mother doing this to her child! i recently read a book based on the author’s grandmother who abandoned her two small children and thought it was for the best.
i’m not a parent myself, but can’t imagine what motivates women like this. i understand adoption, but abandoning?
i’m happy that the daughter turned out so well and successful!
That Norma is a real piece of work! Sleeping around with all those men, having children and not raising any of them?? Wonder what would happen to a woman like that in this day and age?
I always liked Larry Storch so I am glad that he accepted June. I can’t imagine having to live that way.
What a fascinating story! Thanks for sharing this review.
I bet I’d like this one. It sounds like a story that’s hard to understand though.
Thank you for this review! It sounds like a sad but fascinating read.
This sounds like a really interesting book. Definitely one I would like to read.
I really want to read this one!
I’m going to give this one a go!
http://www.firstruleofbookclub.merseyblogs.co.uk
This sounds absolutely fascinating and is totally going on the wish list. Thanks for the great review!
You must try Roald Dahl’s A Collection of Short Stories. They’re fabulous…I wasn’t a fan either before I discovered them (through my book club) but now they’re sitting on my bedside table. I’ve read about half of them. I savour them. Switch Bitch is my favourite so far! Let me know if you give them a whirl!
This sounds like an excellent book. I love memoirs, and having the race issue added in makes it even more interesting.
It is funny that I just read a book called Secret Son that I am about to do a review of!
This book sounds really interesting, thanks for the great review.
Have a great weekend.
I read Flygirl this year, so this seems like it would be a great “companion” book to that one.
This sounds excellent! Great review.
Sounds like a heavy but interesting story. Thanks for the review!
–Anna
Sounds like an amazing but sad story. So hard for me to believe that a mother would reject her own child due to skin color. Wow.
OMG. I can’t imagine having a mother like that. I have been interested in this book since I first started reading all the positive reviews about it on the blogs.
I could hardly believe it when I first heard about this. Someone should have choked that woman! This would make a wonderful book group discussion I believe…
Definitely one for the pile. Thanks for the review.
That sounds so sad, but it also does sound like a great book for a group to discuss. Thanks for the review!
I so loved your review and this book sounds like a very interesting read!!
This sounds fascinating, I’ll have to check it out!
This does sound like a good book. One I’m adding to my wishlist.
Wow…what a difficult life. this sounds fascinating. Loved your review.
Wow, sounds pretty incredible!
Sounds like a great read, though unfortunately a memoir about someone’s great difficulties. It’s awesome that June was able to rise above all of it, though, and become such a successful woman. I’ve been reading more bios and memoirs lately — I’ll look for this one. Great review, Kathy!
It sounds interesting and maybe a bit frustrating(to not be able to slap the mother for her selfish and hurtful attitude). Thanks for the review.
Great review! This memoir sounds heart-breaking, but it covers a time and behavior from history that is fascinating.
I am happy to see you also thought the book was fascinating. I wanted to talk about the book with anyone who would listen, too! It was just a fabulous book. I passed my copy on to Kelly from The Chic Geek. Her mom stole it from her and read it, lol. She loved it. Now I am interested to read Kelly’s review!
I remember seeing the blurbs for this one and being really interested. Such a sad childhood for that little girl! But sometimes, our parents can only do as well as their parents did. I am really looking forward to reading this one. Thanks for the great review!
What an amazing story this must be. I had never heard of this book before now.