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Before We Were Yours cover art

Before We Were Yours

Written by: Lisa Wingate
Narrated by: Emily Rankin, Catherine Taber
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Publisher's Summary

THE BLOCKBUSTER HIT - A New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly best seller

Look for Lisa Wingate’s powerful new historical novel, The Book of Lost Friends, available now! 

“Poignant, engrossing.” (People) • “Lisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation’s history and weaves a tale of enduring power.” (Paula McLain)

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge - until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents - but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals - in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country - Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

Publishers Weekly’s Number Three Longest-Running Best Seller of 2017 • Winner of the Southern Book Prize • If All Arkansas Read the Same Book Selection

©2017 Lisa Wingate (P)2017 Random House Audio

What the critics say

"Emily Rankin and Catherine Taber are polished narrators who give us sympathetic, memorable characters whose voices are age appropriate and conventionally Southern.... This story is well presented - perfectly paced and emotionally satisfying." (AudioFile)

“A [story] of a family lost and found... A poignant, engrossing tale about sibling love and the toll of secrets.” (People)

“One of the year’s best books... It is almost a cliché to say a book is ‘lovingly written’ but that phrase applies clearly to Lisa Wingate’s latest novel, Before We Were Yours. This story about children taken from their parents through kidnapping or subterfuge and then placed for adoption, for a price, clearly pours out of Wingate’s heart.... It is impossible not to get swept up in this near-perfect novel. It invades your heart from the very first pages and stays there long after the book is finished. Few novelists could strike the balance this story requires but Wingate does it with assurance. There are a lot of books that will catch your eye this summer, some from our best storytellers. Make sure this one is on your radar. It should not be missed.” (The Huffington Post)

Editorial Review

What can come of digging up the past? What dark secrets are hidden in family history? A peek into her past is about to show Avery Stafford what really happened Before We Were Yours.

Based on an unthinkable real-life scandal, Before We Were Yours tells the story of children from low-income families in Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1940s, who were forcibly removed from their homes—essentially, kidnapped—and placed with well-off families seeking children for adoption.

Through the tale of 12-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings, author Lisa Wingate recounts the horror, fear, injustice, and abuse of power that led to a booming business of child rehoming. Stolen without question, warning, or compassion, children were removed from poor families, thrown into uncaring and often downright violent institutions, and eventually sold to families all across America. This audiobook merges the fictional tale of the Foss children with historical evidence to strike the perfect balance between listener sympathy and factual credibility. Along with tracing the journey of Rill and her siblings from a loving home to a cruel orphanage and beyond, Before We Were Yours follows the modern-day awakening of Avery Stafford, an accomplished woman with a successful legal career and soon-to-be husband living in South Carolina, as she uncovers her family's shocking connection to this sordid trade. In this way, the listener can see both sides of the story: past and present, victimized children and adoptive families, offering a rounded and rich view of this dark and long-hidden scandal.

Lisa Wingate brings forth a compelling and powerful work of historical fiction, which highlights the importance of facing the truth about the past and family, even when it is painful. The warm and conversational tones of narrators Emily Rankin and Catherine Taber add a personal flavour to the novel. Deeply affecting, Before We Were Yours will pull on your heartstrings, keep you listening to each startling turn, and ultimately leave you uplifted.

What listeners say about Before We Were Yours

Average Customer Ratings
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One of THE Best books I have ever read!!

I wish I could have given this book 10 stars! I will definitely be listening to more books by Lisa Wingate! Laughed, cried, sighed! Definitely my next book pick for my book club! Love love love it!

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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important story of treachery & sisterly love.

loved it! Truth will always come out! Historical events that need to be told.
wonderful characters. wonderful descriptions of family bonds. Beautiful descriptions of life on the river....of high society and the realistic conflicts.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

First time listener

Due to an injury, I am not able to read, so was desperate for an alternative. Thank heavens for audible! My first month free credit found me choosing this book, and what a great story. The narrators were perfect, and I was mesmerized by their stories. While I found the added romance a bit cheesy, the underlying story regarding the TCHS had me researching the backgrounds once I finished the book. Highly recommend!

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5 people found this helpful

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Not as good as expected

The narration was great, the topic compelling and the fiction that was historically based was excellent. The downside was that I found the adult main character, Avery annoying and boring. The author spent too much time on her life, status and especially her inner thoughts and questions. It was hard to relate to her. The other characters, especially Rill were excellent and held my attention. If you like this type of story I recommend, "A Home for Unwanted Girls". It is also historical fiction and I'd give that one 5/5 stars.

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4 people found this helpful

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Excellent read!

What a heart wrenching story! Hard to put down and kept me wanting more. A great performance by narrator.

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2 people found this helpful

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Story was good. Disliked the narrator's voice.

Enjoyed the story, didn't like the narration/performance. I wish I read the physical book instead of listening.

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1 person found this helpful

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Amazing heart wrenching compelling

Well read! Amazingly well written
Compelling and heart wrenching story
Highly recommended for a informative read

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A compelling true story told with heart.

truly captivating true story. much passion in the story-telling and deep sense of place: I could taste the south! narrated skillfully and with sufficient energy and engagement.

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1 person found this helpful

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best audio in a long time

couldn't wait for my commute each day...didn't want it to end...shocking story line with truths about the Tennesee Children's home

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Fabulous story

Well read and written. I really enjoyed the book. The history is horrible. Their stores need to be told.

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