On a winter night in 1964, Dr. David Henry is forced by a blizzard to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. Yet when his daughter is born, he sees immediately that she has Down's Syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split-second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret.

But Caroline, the nurse, cannot leave the infant. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this beautifully told story that unfolds over a quarter of a century in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by the fateful decision made that long-ago winter night.

A brilliantly crafted, stunning debut, The Memory Keeper's Daughter explores the way life takes unexpected turns, and how the mysterious ties that hold a family together help us survive the heartache that occurs when long-buried secrets burst into the open.

Performed by Martha Plimpton

Customer Rating:
Summary: Good but a little long
Comment: I liked the idea of this book, but the middle of the book was really long with not much action. Maybe a good book to read if you're short on ideas, but it's not going to keep you on the edge of your seat.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Gripping story
Comment: The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards is a story of how one man's deception can destroy people's lives for many years to come. Sometimes the decisions we make can define the course our lives take, especially when Dr. Henry makes that fateful decision to get rid of the child and tell his wife Nora the baby died. It's a gripping story with an unexpected ending. When I read books like these I find the need to look for Hope in the world.
If you're so inclined, I found this beautiful new book about Jesus, faith, God and what we will do in the after-life entitled "The Enlightenment, What God Told Me After One Million Prayers: A Message for Everyone," by John H. Eagan. I just finished it. It's really great and deals with God, the creator, Jesus' teachings, and His Passion. It brought me to tears. I think the readers of Edwards's book will really enjoy The Enlightenment

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A different time, a different way of life
Comment: Wasn't quite sure about the ending - I don't know if the wife would have made a different choice as she came across as a society wife to me. A good read though.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Interesting Read
Comment: I thought it was a pretty good read. It kept my attention the whole way and I felt attached to the characters. Interesting story line, not super original but pretty good.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Interesting and thought provoking read
Comment: This books seems to polarise those who read it - you either like it or you don't. I fall into the former category. The story of a fathers decision to give away his child with Downs and the effect it has on everyone from that day forward, I found to be interesting and well written, and worthy of the attention that this book has generated.

It is not a book for everyone - it suited my tastes because I like very strong character driven books that cover a period of years and the changes that those years bring. Down side is that it is a quite slow moving book, which will definitely deter some readers from continuing to read this book to its conclusion.

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