Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation
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- Author：Maud Newton
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Summary
ABOUT ANCESTOR TROUBLE
An acclaimed writer goes searching for the truth about her wildly unconventional Southern family–and finds that our obsession with ancestors opens up new ways of seeing ourselves。
Maud Newton’s ancestors have vexed and fascinated her since she was a girl。 Her mother’s father， who came of age in Texas during the Great Depression， was said to have married thirteen times and been shot by one of his wives。 Her mother’s grandfather killed a man with a hay hook and died in a mental institution。 Mental illness and religious fanaticism percolated through Maud’s maternal lines， to an ancestor accused of being a witch in Puritan-era Massachusetts。 Maud’s father， an aerospace engineer turned lawyer， was a book-smart man who extolled the virtues of slavery and obsessed over the “purity” of his family bloodline， which he traced back to the Revolutionary War。 He tried in vain to control Maud’s mother， a whirlwind of charisma and passion given to feverish projects: thirty rescue cats， and a church in the family’s living room where she performed exorcisms。
Their divorce， when it came， was a relief。 Still， the meeting of her parents’ lines in Maud inspired an anxiety that she could not shake; a fear that she would replicate their damage。 She saw similar anxieties in the lives of friends， in the works of writers and artists she admired。 As obsessive in her own way as her parents， Maud researched her genealogy—her grandfather’s marriages， the accused witch， her ancestors’ roles in slavery and genocide–and sought family secrets through her DNA。 But sunk in census archives and cousin matches， she yearned for deeper truths。 Her journey took her into the realms of genetics， epigenetics， and the debates over intergenerational trauma。 She mulled modernity’s dismissal of ancestors along with psychoanalytic and spiritual traditions that center them。
Searching， moving， and inspiring， Ancestor Trouble is one writer’s attempt to use genealogy–a once-niche hobby that has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry—to expose the secrets and contradictions of her own ancestors， and to argue for the transformational possibilities that reckoning with our ancestors has for all of us。
PRAISE
"A marvel: absorbing， addictive， informative。" — Louisa Ermelino， Publishers Weekly
“Ancestor Trouble is a memoir like no other I’ve ever read: it’s an addictive mystery story， an unflinching examination of America’s darkest history， and a plangent meditation on the power of long-buried secrets to assert themselves in our lives。 A haunting， thought-provoking， and utterly mesmerizing book。”—Karen Abbott， New York Times bestselling author of The Ghosts of Eden Park
“Whether they are writers， womanizers， preachers， or enslavers， Maud Newton soberly reckons with her ancestors in this absorbing narrative， as addictive as genealogy itself。 In reflections ranging from the scientific to the spiritual， Newton builds a bridge between her and her ancestors that is fascinating， deeply moving， and sure to make every reader want to spend some time with their kin。”—Dionne Ford， co-editor of Slavery’s Descendants: Shared Legacies of Race and Reconciliation
“You can’t make this stuff up， and in this beautifully written memoir， Maud Newton doesn’t have to。 She brings a historian’s rigor to the pursuit of family lore that has， by design or accident， shed significant details along the way。 The end result， a triumph， is two books in one: an accessible guide to genealogy and the harrowing saga of an American family steeped in intergenerational trauma。 I will be feeling the aftershocks of this book for some time。”—Alexis Coe， New York Times bestselling author of You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington
“I’ve been searching for this book a long time， one that would help make sense of my own complicated family history。 Newton’s incredibly smart hybrid of a memoir is essential reading for anyone interested in learning more about themselves through the prism of the past—which is to say， nearly everyone。 I can’t wait to share this with my family。”—Garrard Conley， New York Times bestselling author of Boy Erased
“Ancestor Trouble is a superbly written and meticulously researched book about the people and stories that shape us。 Through careful examination of census records， genealogy， and DNA data， Maud Newton patiently excavates her family's troubled history， revealing how the past continues to inform the present， in ways that are sometimes invisible to us。 An extraordinary work。”—Laila Lalami， author of The Other Americans
“With cultural analysis， global historical contexts， and her own compelling hunt for family history， Maud Newton invites us to consider our ancestors with a reverence Western thought often forgets。”—Sarah Smarsh， New York Times bestselling author of Heartland
“One of the most uncompromising and compassionate books about the tangled web that binds us to our past。 Startling in scope and breadth， Ancestor Trouble firmly establishes Newton as one of our most exciting—and necessary—writers。”—Maaza Mengiste， author of The Shadow King， shortlisted for the Booker Prize
An acclaimed writer goes searching for the truth about her wildly unconventional Southern family–and finds that our obsession with ancestors opens up new ways of seeing ourselves。
Maud Newton’s ancestors have vexed and fascinated her since she was a girl。 Her mother’s father， who came of age in Texas during the Great Depression， was said to have married thirteen times and been shot by one of his wives。 Her mother’s grandfather killed a man with a hay hook and died in a mental institution。 Mental illness and religious fanaticism percolated through Maud’s maternal lines， to an ancestor accused of being a witch in Puritan-era Massachusetts。 Maud’s father， an aerospace engineer turned lawyer， was a book-smart man who extolled the virtues of slavery and obsessed over the “purity” of his family bloodline， which he traced back to the Revolutionary War。 He tried in vain to control Maud’s mother， a whirlwind of charisma and passion given to feverish projects: thirty rescue cats， and a church in the family’s living room where she performed exorcisms。
Their divorce， when it came， was a relief。 Still， the meeting of her parents’ lines in Maud inspired an anxiety that she could not shake; a fear that she would replicate their damage。 She saw similar anxieties in the lives of friends， in the works of writers and artists she admired。 As obsessive in her own way as her parents， Maud researched her genealogy—her grandfather’s marriages， the accused witch， her ancestors’ roles in slavery and genocide–and sought family secrets through her DNA。 But sunk in census archives and cousin matches， she yearned for deeper truths。 Her journey took her into the realms of genetics， epigenetics， and the debates over intergenerational trauma。 She mulled modernity’s dismissal of ancestors along with psychoanalytic and spiritual traditions that center them。
Searching， moving， and inspiring， Ancestor Trouble is one writer’s attempt to use genealogy–a once-niche hobby that has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry—to expose the secrets and contradictions of her own ancestors， and to argue for the transformational possibilities that reckoning with our ancestors has for all of us。
PRAISE
"A marvel: absorbing， addictive， informative。" — Louisa Ermelino， Publishers Weekly
“Ancestor Trouble is a memoir like no other I’ve ever read: it’s an addictive mystery story， an unflinching examination of America’s darkest history， and a plangent meditation on the power of long-buried secrets to assert themselves in our lives。 A haunting， thought-provoking， and utterly mesmerizing book。”—Karen Abbott， New York Times bestselling author of The Ghosts of Eden Park
“Whether they are writers， womanizers， preachers， or enslavers， Maud Newton soberly reckons with her ancestors in this absorbing narrative， as addictive as genealogy itself。 In reflections ranging from the scientific to the spiritual， Newton builds a bridge between her and her ancestors that is fascinating， deeply moving， and sure to make every reader want to spend some time with their kin。”—Dionne Ford， co-editor of Slavery’s Descendants: Shared Legacies of Race and Reconciliation
“You can’t make this stuff up， and in this beautifully written memoir， Maud Newton doesn’t have to。 She brings a historian’s rigor to the pursuit of family lore that has， by design or accident， shed significant details along the way。 The end result， a triumph， is two books in one: an accessible guide to genealogy and the harrowing saga of an American family steeped in intergenerational trauma。 I will be feeling the aftershocks of this book for some time。”—Alexis Coe， New York Times bestselling author of You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington
“I’ve been searching for this book a long time， one that would help make sense of my own complicated family history。 Newton’s incredibly smart hybrid of a memoir is essential reading for anyone interested in learning more about themselves through the prism of the past—which is to say， nearly everyone。 I can’t wait to share this with my family。”—Garrard Conley， New York Times bestselling author of Boy Erased
“Ancestor Trouble is a superbly written and meticulously researched book about the people and stories that shape us。 Through careful examination of census records， genealogy， and DNA data， Maud Newton patiently excavates her family's troubled history， revealing how the past continues to inform the present， in ways that are sometimes invisible to us。 An extraordinary work。”—Laila Lalami， author of The Other Americans
“With cultural analysis， global historical contexts， and her own compelling hunt for family history， Maud Newton invites us to consider our ancestors with a reverence Western thought often forgets。”—Sarah Smarsh， New York Times bestselling author of Heartland
“One of the most uncompromising and compassionate books about the tangled web that binds us to our past。 Startling in scope and breadth， Ancestor Trouble firmly establishes Newton as one of our most exciting—and necessary—writers。”—Maaza Mengiste， author of The Shadow King， shortlisted for the Booker Prize
Reviews
Virginia McGee Butler
，
Maud Newton begins her book， Ancestor Trouble， with her search for her own heritage。 I read the book that goes on sale March 29 in an advance reading copy furnished by Net Galley。 She has heard family tales about the ancestor who married thirteen times and was killed by one of his wives and another who was killed with a hay hook and died in an institution。 She begins using genealogy sites to find answers to her wonderings with inconsistent results。 Along with this long term search she brings her Maud Newton begins her book， Ancestor Trouble， with her search for her own heritage。 I read the book that goes on sale March 29 in an advance reading copy furnished by Net Galley。 She has heard family tales about the ancestor who married thirteen times and was killed by one of his wives and another who was killed with a hay hook and died in an institution。 She begins using genealogy sites to find answers to her wonderings with inconsistent results。 Along with this long term search she brings her own nuclear family， whom she knows， into the picture， adding her family memories in a memoir fashion。 Her racist father commends slavery and extols the purity of his own family line back to the Revolutionary War。 However， he can’t control her mother who has thirty rescue cats and performs exorcisms in the church she has in the family living room。 Her relief at her parents’ divorce and periodic estrangement from both of them only adds to her anxiety about how much of their identity will be passed along to her genetically。 So， part of the book becomes the old nature vs。 nurture enigma。 Sandwiched into the narrative， she recounts various cultural practices about death and dying。 Her take on religious practices comes largely from her fundamentalist mother without much distinction for other types of Christian practice until she is near the end of the book。 I found that to be a missing point in her narrative。One word of warning – Maud mentions several other books and authors in her own book that make you think you must add them to your list。 Second word of warning – if you are disturbed by reading things with which you disagree， this is not the book for you。 It seems to me that almost everybody will find some argument with her。 On the positive side， if you are interested in the old issue of nature versus nurture or genetics and ancestry， you will find much to interest you in the book。 You may even come away glad that someone has relatives crazier than yours。 。。。more
Stacey Lunsford
，
The author weaves a compelling story around her personal journey to understand herself and the family she comes from。 Newton's father is a virulent racist who believes that "。。。slavery [was] a benevolent institution that should never have been abandoned。。。" Her mother is a fundamentalist Christian and self-styled minister who believes that sin is caused by demon possession。 Mental illness runs rife in her mother's family as outspoken racism runs through members of her father's family。 She ties h The author weaves a compelling story around her personal journey to understand herself and the family she comes from。 Newton's father is a virulent racist who believes that "。。。slavery [was] a benevolent institution that should never have been abandoned。。。" Her mother is a fundamentalist Christian and self-styled minister who believes that sin is caused by demon possession。 Mental illness runs rife in her mother's family as outspoken racism runs through members of her father's family。 She ties her own personal family history research to wider concepts， stretching from the ancient Greek concept of the four "humours" that determined an individual's personality to the study of epigenetics， the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work。。 She delves into ancestor veneration in cultures around the world and the perks and pitfalls of DNA tests from genealogy websites like Ancestry and 23andme。Newton has written much more than a memoir or a "harrowing things I learned when I started digging into my family history" tale。 She has synthesized research from many different fields and angles to try to piece together a way the individual may become whole through an understanding of the central relationship upon which all other experiences build: the parent-child bond and how that bond is reflected over and over down the generations。 Highly recommended， particularly for those interested in family history and intergenerational trauma。 。。。more
Rebecca
，
Thanks to the publisher， via Netgalley， for an advance e-galley for honest review。3。5 stars， rounded up。 There's a lot in this book that is interesting， and readers who also struggle with their ancestral legacy will find a lot to identify with in this book。 The more interesting parts of this story are Maud Newton's own， as she works through the long and turbulent history of her ancestors， but at times the scientific and technical elements of ancestral research that Newton details get bogged down Thanks to the publisher， via Netgalley， for an advance e-galley for honest review。3。5 stars， rounded up。 There's a lot in this book that is interesting， and readers who also struggle with their ancestral legacy will find a lot to identify with in this book。 The more interesting parts of this story are Maud Newton's own， as she works through the long and turbulent history of her ancestors， but at times the scientific and technical elements of ancestral research that Newton details get bogged down with details。 The spirituality section lost me quite a bit。 But I do think that Newton is raising valid and important points about the way we look back at the actions and legacy of our forebears。 。。。more
Carol Perreault
，
Just could not get into this book。 Had to put it down。
Kristi Betts
，
I found ANCESTOR TROUBLE to be an interesting insight into the family story of Maid Newton。 Not only did she share family stories， but her journey in discovering some actions for which she is ashamed。 I’m the south， these stories are not uncommon， however her strength in sharing about her family is much different from others。 I was intrigued about the extinct she went to in order to make some of the family connections。
Tami
，
I’m fascinated by family history stories， so I was drawn to Ancestor Troubles。 From the start， I was drawn into her family story and the information about genes and DNA testing that was included。I was intrigued by the similarities of places and migration patterns that my family heritage shared with hers。 Her family was much more colorful than mine （at least as far as I know） and that gave a spark to what otherwise may have been a bland tale。About mid-way through the book， I began to lose interes I’m fascinated by family history stories， so I was drawn to Ancestor Troubles。 From the start， I was drawn into her family story and the information about genes and DNA testing that was included。I was intrigued by the similarities of places and migration patterns that my family heritage shared with hers。 Her family was much more colorful than mine （at least as far as I know） and that gave a spark to what otherwise may have been a bland tale。About mid-way through the book， I began to lose interest。 I grew weary of the criticism of her father and other family members。 She dwells mostly on racism during the last part of the story， never seeming to consider that her ancestors were products from their time。 We can see their wrongs from today’s view and easily pass judgement on them。 But， I wonder， if we were of their generation how much the same we would have been？I felt like the book seemed to meander all over the place with various topics， at times being a bit repetitive。 I also found it confusing to keep track of the various relatives she mentioned。 Finally， she goes into detail about her spiritual journey， which I didn’t find to be that meaningful to her family history。I liked the book， but a bit of editing and omitting of extraneous information could have streamlined this story and made it a better read。Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Random House for allowing me to read an advance copy。 I am happy to give my honest review。 。。。more
Nan
，
I read a pre-release copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley。I will have to take some time to clarify my thoughts before I post a lengthy review。 In general， I'm pretty much the target audience for this book， as I'm an avid genealogist。 （Although， for some reason， I always misspell that word！） I， too， have some interesting ancestors， including a bigamist Civil War veteran still listed as a deserter by the state of Indiana。 That said， Newton's book went in a few directions that I wasn't expecting I read a pre-release copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley。I will have to take some time to clarify my thoughts before I post a lengthy review。 In general， I'm pretty much the target audience for this book， as I'm an avid genealogist。 （Although， for some reason， I always misspell that word！） I， too， have some interesting ancestors， including a bigamist Civil War veteran still listed as a deserter by the state of Indiana。 That said， Newton's book went in a few directions that I wasn't expecting and need to consider carefully before I respond。People will either find this book brilliant or repulsive， I expect。 。。。more
Janilyn Kocher
，
I was excited to receive access to this book and savored reading it。 I love reading about family research and when skeletons are unearthed。 From the description， Newton had a lot of good family secrets to unravel。 The book lived up to my expectations， for the most part。 I read all her research about both sides of her lineage with great interest。 She spends a lot of time Analyzing different things about genealogy and research， stuff that I skimmed past because frankly it didn’t interest me。If you I was excited to receive access to this book and savored reading it。 I love reading about family research and when skeletons are unearthed。 From the description， Newton had a lot of good family secrets to unravel。 The book lived up to my expectations， for the most part。 I read all her research about both sides of her lineage with great interest。 She spends a lot of time Analyzing different things about genealogy and research， stuff that I skimmed past because frankly it didn’t interest me。If you’re looking for a lot of family history to unwrap， look no further。Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the advance read。 。。。more
Gocristos zans
，
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Susan Sanders
，
DNF about 20%I loved the family story， but don't have much interest in the story of geaneology。 I can't even spell geaneology。 DNF about 20%I loved the family story， but don't have much interest in the story of geaneology。 I can't even spell geaneology。 。。。more
Pj
，
Ancestor Trouble claims that “mental illness” is heritable and something to fear - a pair of humongous lies which feel especially eugenics-laden in a book about ancestry。 Hard pass。
Tracy
，
This is an incredible book！ Maud Newton is a phenomenal writer。
Suzanne
，
Maud Newton writes so well， and with such an engaging， personal style， that it’s not often clear what story she’s telling her readers in ANCESTOR TROUBLE。 Her ancestors are less troubling than her parents， for her; and her investigations into her genealogy and her forays into the historical record of her family， while fascinating， ultimately reveal less about her painful circumstances than she hoped。 She wants an answer for the disappointment and suffering she sustained from her parents。 She hop Maud Newton writes so well， and with such an engaging， personal style， that it’s not often clear what story she’s telling her readers in ANCESTOR TROUBLE。 Her ancestors are less troubling than her parents， for her; and her investigations into her genealogy and her forays into the historical record of her family， while fascinating， ultimately reveal less about her painful circumstances than she hoped。 She wants an answer for the disappointment and suffering she sustained from her parents。 She hopes she can place it in a context， one defined by DNA and heredity。 This book is very good and worth reading， but few answers arrive tidily from DNA， regardless of the promises offered by science。 I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley。 。。。more
Francis M。 Torres
，
This book was regally good to read。 Not only did she get DEEP into her family history and her relationship with hr parents is not that great as well。 She got into genealogy， and started her own family tree。 She discovered things about her family that are beyond colorful， lol。 This book is a memoir but some parts I read felt fictional， and I liked the switch， it might be true occurrences it might not， who cares this is her book， lol。 I learned a lot about the process and everything was very detai This book was regally good to read。 Not only did she get DEEP into her family history and her relationship with hr parents is not that great as well。 She got into genealogy， and started her own family tree。 She discovered things about her family that are beyond colorful， lol。 This book is a memoir but some parts I read felt fictional， and I liked the switch， it might be true occurrences it might not， who cares this is her book， lol。 I learned a lot about the process and everything was very detailed。 The topic is one that doesn’t really interest me but I loved the way the author laid everything out。Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book。 。。。more
Terry Swindell
，
I enjoyed a lot of this book， although I sometimes became bogged down in all of the detail that the writer went into to support her story。 There were several times that I found myself skipping over sections in order to move things along。 She definitely has an interesting， bizarre family， and I completely understand her concern about inheriting any of their behaviors。 The book was about her family， but there was a lot of Information on genealogy research， and also quite a bit of philosophical dis I enjoyed a lot of this book， although I sometimes became bogged down in all of the detail that the writer went into to support her story。 There were several times that I found myself skipping over sections in order to move things along。 She definitely has an interesting， bizarre family， and I completely understand her concern about inheriting any of their behaviors。 The book was about her family， but there was a lot of Information on genealogy research， and also quite a bit of philosophical discussion。 I admire her for working so hard to overcome the difficulties of her childhood， which were substantial， and I have a feeling that writing this book this was very cathartic for her。 Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in return for my honest review。 。。。more
Michelle Garrett
，
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of ANCESTOR TROUBLE by Maud Newton。 As a Mormon， ancestry research is a big part of my culture。 I never personally got into it， compared to some of my friends and family， but I still felt drawn to this book because of that culture。 I also appreciated Newton's work to resolve her guilt over some of the things her ancestors had done—from enslaving people to stealing Native American land。 I don't come from ancestors who enslaved people （my ancestors were too Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of ANCESTOR TROUBLE by Maud Newton。 As a Mormon， ancestry research is a big part of my culture。 I never personally got into it， compared to some of my friends and family， but I still felt drawn to this book because of that culture。 I also appreciated Newton's work to resolve her guilt over some of the things her ancestors had done—from enslaving people to stealing Native American land。 I don't come from ancestors who enslaved people （my ancestors were too poor and didn't live in the South）， but I think all white people in the U。S。 have some kind of guilt about our history （or we should）。 So， I found reading about healing and reconciling that guilt helpful。 I also enjoyed all her research into why we are drawn to our ancestors and why it's important to learn about them。 It was a bit drawn out and tedious at times and could get repetitive—definitely a thick and slow read。 Still， I kept thinking of people I knew who would love to read this and have。 already started talking about it to people。 So， overall， I found it a valuable read。 。。。more
Susan
，
My aunt wrote a book about her （and therefore， my） ancestors。 I’m now reading it， and it’s really interesting。 As a child， I remember going to the library with my mom when she would research our genealogy using the microfilm machine there。 In 2019， many of us traveled to Germany to see the places our ancestors had lived。 Fascinating！ And yet， as I read the stories， there are troubling things there as well as good。That’s probably what sparked my interest in “Ancestor Trouble。” I was curious to se My aunt wrote a book about her （and therefore， my） ancestors。 I’m now reading it， and it’s really interesting。 As a child， I remember going to the library with my mom when she would research our genealogy using the microfilm machine there。 In 2019， many of us traveled to Germany to see the places our ancestors had lived。 Fascinating！ And yet， as I read the stories， there are troubling things there as well as good。That’s probably what sparked my interest in “Ancestor Trouble。” I was curious to see how author Maud Newton would explore the topic。 And oh my — explore she does。 Newton （not her real name; she has taken on the name as an ancestor to write under） has always been extremely interested in her past。 Much of that is probably due to her relatives being decidedly colorful。 In her history， there is a relative who has been married 13 times; another who， tired of having child after child， killed the most recent baby by hitting its head against the outdoor steps; another who fought and killed a friend in a battle involving a hay hook。 I can guarantee that you’ll feel better about your own family history after perusing Maud’s。This book is equal parts Maud’s family history and forays into various aspects of genealogy， genetics， etc。 As to her look into her own family， she is decidedly angry about her father， going on and on AND ON about him being racist。 This theme was so prevalent that I did a search （yes， I read this on Kindle）， and racist/racism were mentioned 34 times。 “He and Mamma both were openly， unremittingly — ‘jubilantly’ is not too strong a word — racist。” Racism is a huge issue for Maud， and in addition to calling her dad on it， she takes the issue further。 She feels ancestry。com is racist in offering Heritage Tours。 She mentions the Department of Defense using programs “with sometimes racist results。” Discovering that she is fully white， after having her DNA tested， “was deeply， irrationally disappointing， as though having mixed ancestry would somehow mitigate the wrongs of my forebears。” Wow！ I pictured Maud as one of the current batch of woke 30-somethings， but she’s actually around 50。 Race is obviously an issue of huge import to her — and though I’m sure she’d disagree， I find that in itself racist。 Oh， that we could all just view people as people， rather than as their color。 And I wondered about her dad。 He’s a lawyer， presumably still living。 She is estranged from him， but if he is as awful as she describes， it’s hard to imagine him maintaining such a career。Maud isn’t just upset about her forebears’ racism， but about their wrong treatment of indigenous peoples as well。 “It’s one thing to acknowledge bigotry and inhumanity where we expect it， where we’ve always judged it， in people we already view critically。 It’s another thing to face and acknowledge it in the people we love most。 My ancestors through Granny perpetrated other large-scale wrongs， too。 I’d never imagined my own forebears interacting with indigenous people of this land。 That history， like the Mayflower， felt remote， like something that couldn’t have involved my family directly， even though I knew that they — and I — had benefited from systemic injustices against Native people。” Yes， this is an actual quote。 Can you tell that I was cooling on this book faster than if I’d been shoved into the freezer？ In an attempt to assuage her familial guilt， she asks “forgiveness of the land and its Native people， living and dead。 On the worn dirt at the foot of a bench， I emptied a bottle of wine as an offering。” I am not making this up。At this point， the contrarian in me had to look at Maud’s angst over the actions of her relatives and ancestors， see her sanctimonious attitude， but then wonder what future generations would think about her in， say， 2100。 Will the woke attitudes she so prizes be equally prized then？ Or will future generations judge her as harshly as she now judges those past？ It’s worth considering。In the midst of all this， guess who enters the picture？ Yep， Donald Trump。 In a chapter about eugenics， Maud writes “Donald J。 Trump， former president of the United States， credited ‘good genes’ for his success， intelligence， and health， and the orange glow of his skin。” Awww — she captured the “orange man bad” phrasing so popular among the woke。 Later in the book we read of something praised by “former president Bill Clinton，” since of course his name could only be associated with positivity。 We also read of “a bill proposed by congressional Republicans in 2017 that would have allowed employers to require their employees to undergo genetic testing or pay a fine if they refused。” She makes no mention of current congressional Democrats， who support fines， mandates， and even firing for those choosing not to get Covid vaccines。 I’m sure that troubles her just as much。In the parts of the book that take a more non-fiction angle， Maud explores all aspects of genealogy。 Many of these are quite tangential， but I credit the author for being a deep thinker and for leaving no rabbit trail unfollowed。 She is “a committed unbeliever，” “a committed agnostic，” who is offended at the Christian beliefs of many of her relatives and ancestors。 Early in the book she points out what she sees as inconsistencies in the Bible。 She explores spirituality in various ways， by studying many different religions and going on some experiences that sound like seances。 She feels “all our dead who have not been properly grieved and elevated are unwell ghosts cluttering up the spirit realm， preventing us from accessing the wisdom of our ancestors and the best way forward for ourselves。”I have many more things highlighted， but that’s about enough。 As you can probably guess， this was not a hit for me。 I credit Maud with good writing， and I do feel sad for all the stress and anxiety she feels， even as I disagree strenuously with her methods for finding resolution and peace。 “Ancestor Trouble” isn’t a book I can recommend。 。。。more
Matt
，
Review to come！
Sonya
，
ANCESTOR TROUBLE is a combination of a deeply personal account of Maud Newton's investigation into her own family history and a broader look at the ways humans have tried to connect or disconnect from their ancestors。 In this examination， she conveys her sincere desire to question and understand her parents for their toxic beliefs about race and religion， and for actions her parents took that did actual harm to their children。 Newton's colorful extended family is part of the subject of inquiry， ANCESTOR TROUBLE is a combination of a deeply personal account of Maud Newton's investigation into her own family history and a broader look at the ways humans have tried to connect or disconnect from their ancestors。 In this examination， she conveys her sincere desire to question and understand her parents for their toxic beliefs about race and religion， and for actions her parents took that did actual harm to their children。 Newton's colorful extended family is part of the subject of inquiry， the good and not so good。 And she makes a case for what tendencies， physical and emotional， she might have inherited。Newton also discusses genetics and some of the theories of genetic trauma that might be ensconced in brains decades or even centuries later， patterns of behavior that are sometimes repeated， and， finally， a real effort to connect to ancestors through guided meditation。 This attempt to communicate with spirits is one of my favorite parts of the book; whether there was something "there" or it was a product of her mind doesn't much matter to me。 I liked hearing about the experiences the intentions behind them。Readers are sure to consider their own family histories and how to perhaps forgive past generations for terribly wrongs。 It's a fascinating look at how we might connect to our own familial past。Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced review copy of this fabulous book。 。。。more
Nancy Mijangos
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I received an ARC of this memoir from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 Interesting book for anyone wishing to research their genealogy。 There is an abundance of colorful family members。
Pernette
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Maud Newton's dive into genealogy is very intense。 She tries to reconcile past family experiences with genealogy history。 She does a very thorough job。 Her search and research were very informative but too involved for me。 Ancestor Trouble is for serious genealogy readers only。 Maud Newton's dive into genealogy is very intense。 She tries to reconcile past family experiences with genealogy history。 She does a very thorough job。 Her search and research were very informative but too involved for me。 Ancestor Trouble is for serious genealogy readers only。 。。。more
Sara
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I received a free e-arc copy of this book through Netgalley。 Maud Newton has created this half-memoir， half-dive through the history of genes and epigenetics to both entertain us and educate us。 I found the parts about her family: recent and distant to be more fascinating than the science side， but both are worthwhile especially together。 I have read several of the books she refers to and have been interested in generational trauma which she discusses as well。
James
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this book is great 。 here is an amazon link to it if you want check out https://amzn。to/3Celp0g this book is great 。 here is an amazon link to it if you want check out https://amzn。to/3Celp0g 。。。more
Sharon
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I had foot surgery a couple of years ago and had to keep my foot elevated so my daughter taught me how to use Ancestry。com。 I’m not sure I would have understood this book without that introduction。 She and I pulled out our laptops and with her guidance I learned a lot about the program and about my family。 The chapters are interlaced with Newton’s family’s history， modern research tools and the history of genetics。 In a former life I was an interlibrary loan manager and in that role would borrow I had foot surgery a couple of years ago and had to keep my foot elevated so my daughter taught me how to use Ancestry。com。 I’m not sure I would have understood this book without that introduction。 She and I pulled out our laptops and with her guidance I learned a lot about the program and about my family。 The chapters are interlaced with Newton’s family’s history， modern research tools and the history of genetics。 In a former life I was an interlibrary loan manager and in that role would borrow microfiche and microfilm for people doing research at the local LDS family history center。 Contemporary researchers of their family history owe those early researchers a debt of gratitude。 In my short period of research I came appreciate the narratives that have been digitized from old church records， military records and cemetery maps。 And as Newton reveals， you might find your family’s plantation records with a full inventory of slaves。 Be careful what you wish for。 。。。more
Martin Maenza
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Ancestor Trouble comes out at the end of March 2022。 I was granted an early draft version for reading in exchange for an honest review。 I thank the publisher for that opportunity。Part biography， part how-to and what-for guide to genealogy and heredity， the author shows readers how she explored her own family tree to try to get answers to questions she had。 Those who are of similar mindsets or are fascinated by the whole process of examining one's roots will find things to glean from Newton's sto Ancestor Trouble comes out at the end of March 2022。 I was granted an early draft version for reading in exchange for an honest review。 I thank the publisher for that opportunity。Part biography， part how-to and what-for guide to genealogy and heredity， the author shows readers how she explored her own family tree to try to get answers to questions she had。 Those who are of similar mindsets or are fascinated by the whole process of examining one's roots will find things to glean from Newton's story and insights。 It is well researched， as attested to by the Notes section at the end of the book。 The author did her homework to be sure。For myself， I found that she was getting a little repetitive - retelling the same fascinating tidbits about family members multiple times。 A little more editorial input might have helped to tighten this tome up a bit。 Don't get me wrong - Newton has an interesting and colorful family tree。 If you shake any of the branches of most family trees， you're bound to have a few loose nuts that drop。 However， I found myself skipping ahead a number of times to get to a new point。 It is likely that I am just not the right target for this one; I tend to not spend a lot of time looking backwards - especially now when so many of my family members are long gone。 I want to spend what time I'm still granted looking and moving forward。 。。。more
Susan McGrath
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I received a digital advance copy of Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation by Maud Newton via NetGalley。 Ancestor Trouble is scheduled for release on March 29， 2022。Ancestor Trouble chronicles Maud’s deep dive into her family’s past。 Maud’s fraught relationship with her parents （each for different reasons） and stories she has heard about her ancestors sent her on a search for the truth。 She uses traditional ancestry， DNA based ancestry， and the words of living relatives in an attemp I received a digital advance copy of Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation by Maud Newton via NetGalley。 Ancestor Trouble is scheduled for release on March 29， 2022。Ancestor Trouble chronicles Maud’s deep dive into her family’s past。 Maud’s fraught relationship with her parents （each for different reasons） and stories she has heard about her ancestors sent her on a search for the truth。 She uses traditional ancestry， DNA based ancestry， and the words of living relatives in an attempt to find the truth。As Maud shares what she has learned， she reflects on a variety of related issues。 The use of DNA to predict our medical future。 The use of DNA to create pictures or find relatives of potential criminals。 The potential impacts of epigenetics （information outside of DNA that seems to be passed from one generation to the next）。 Our responsibility for the wrongs of our ancestors （for Maud this included slave owners， overt racists， and murderers）。 Religion as a way to find meaning in life and as a tool to degrade others。Maud’s story was very identifiable for me。 Like Maud， I have many questions about my ancestry， and have considered some of the same avenues of exploration Maud took。 The urge to find roots， to understand the echoes and ripples from the past， was clear throughout Maud’s story。 Maud does a good job of explaining the revelations she makes along the way， while making it clear that in the end， she may have more questions than she did when she started。Entwined with Maud’s personal journey are explanations of many of the social and scientific concepts that impact her exploration。 These explanations are presented in a way that should help readers understand the hows and whys of these concepts and how they influence our understanding of ourselves and our pasts。Overall， Ancestor Trouble delivers on both its title and subtitle。 I expect most of us would have troubles， reconciliations， and reckonings if we took on the same deep exploration of our family trees， though the specifics may be different for each of us。 。。。more
Carol Macarthur
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A wild ride。 Newton has researched gender， genealogy， sex， race， and much more in tying all of these into her attempt to come to grips with her charismatic ancestors。
Bonnye Reed
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