Before We Were Yours

A Novel

By: Lisa Wingate

Narrated by: Emily Rankin, Catherine Taber

Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins

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

Critic reviews

"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)

A must read...

Heart wrenching...very moving and well narrated...hard to stop listening..will definitely check other books by this author

Fun read

Started a bit slow but I couldn’t put it down after chapter 7. Great easy summer read.

Drew me In and Kept the Pressure on.....

I must say that this book, based on the true story on the Tennessee Children's Society Scandal was compelling, horrifying and aspirational. I could not stop listening. There were tears. The two performers of the dialog from past and present were interesting but the reader who handled the past story was irresistible. Her Southern Accents were right on and each character's voice was unique.

Warm and yet Real

This audio book held my attention the whole time. I just loved the depth and yet warmth I felt throughout the whole thing. Mean characters tempered by very kind hearts made the reality of the story palatable and the characters loveable.

Excellent writing, wonderful narration

Listened to this book on a very long trip and I was mesmerized. My two grown daughters and I were pulled into the story and when we arrived home with two hours of audio left, we sat down at the kitchen table to listen to the rest.

Great book great audio book

This true story is amazing. Well written and better yet well read. It held my interest and I really hated to have it come to an end. I enjoyed it that much

Fantastic book and well read!

Good story line. with a slight mystery. the 2 narrators really added to the characters. read for my book club, can't wait to discuss.

Heartbreaking and heartwarming!

this book was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The narration was fantastic. I couldn't stop listening.

COULDN'T STOP LISTENING

I can't say enough good things about this book....grabs you right from the start. Hard to believe that such a horrendous person and place existed. Don't hesitate to read this book!!!

Loved this Audio Book!

This story is so well written, I loved how it told two stories throughout, tying them together in the end. The narrators did a fabulous job using different voices for the characters. The story was sad and at times hard to listen to, mostly because it was based on actual events. I had never heard about the Tennessee Children's Home or the autrocities of Georgia Tann. It is hard to imagine anyone could be so cruel to children. Even though it is a sobering story, it is historical and will hold your attention to the end!