American Daughter: A Memoir

Written by Stephanie Thornton Plymale and Elissa Wald

Narrated by Mozhan Marno

The sharp and surprising true story of a woman who finally sets out to understand her past, and the mother she had one day hoped to forget. Full of unexpected twists and unbelievable revelations, American Daughter is an immersive memoir that will have you on the edge of your seat to the very last page.

For years, Stephanie Plymale, successful CEO and interior designer, kept her past a fiercely guarded secret. Only her husband knew that her childhood was fraught with every imaginable hardship: neglect, hunger, poverty, homelessness, truancy, foster homes, a harrowing lack of medical care, and worse. Stephanie, in turn, knew very little about the past of her mother, who was in and out of jails and psych wards for most of Stephanie's formative years. All this changed when a series of shocking revelations forced Stephanie to revisit her tortured past and revise the meaning of every aspect of her compromised childhood.

American Daughter is the extraordinary true story of a young girl growing up on the wrong side of the American Dream. Stephanie has slept in blankets on the floor of crowded apartments, lived in the back seat of a car with her siblings, and spent decades looking over her shoulder at a mother who might just as easily hug or harm her. American Daughter is at once a moving account of a troubled mother-daughter relationship and a meditation on resilience, transcendence, and ultimately, redemption.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jan 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063054363

Stephanie Thornton Plymale

Stephanie Thornton Plymale is the CEO of Heritage School of Interior Design and the founder of the Heritage Home Foundation, a nonprofit serving families transitioning from homelessness. She lives with her husband and three children in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews for American Daughter

[Brianna · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What an incredible story. Very interesting life story and great narration on the audiobook.

[RachelJalbert · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This has to be one of the best book I ever I will not soon forget

[Rachael Kloss · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Awesome read! The last hour was pure therapy for me!

[twink_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The most fascinating, captivating, gut wrenching, heart breaking tales are those that are true. Such as Stephanie Thornton Plymale's memoir - American Daughter.Stephanie and her five siblings grew up in chaos - neglect, abuse, hunger, homelessness, extreme poverty and more. Their mother fought many demons - substance abuse, alcoholism and mental illness.Despite the odds, Stephanie educated herself, got married, had children, ran a college and lived an enviable life. From the outside looking in, she was a success. But like that old saying goes - she was '...like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath."It was not until she was in her fifties that Stephanie decided to try and find answers, reasons, cement her sketchy memories and finally ask her mother for truths This was a last chance as her mother was dying. What she found was not at all what she expected. She learned more about her family, discovered relatives and saw her mother in a different light as she grew to know her as a person with her own struggles and demons. Stephanie found answers, healing and reconciliation. And herself.This is not an easy read, so gentle readers be forewarned. But it's a true read. I am sure that Stephanie's story will resonate with many readers - for what happened to her and perhaps themselves. Sadly, there are many children living the same childhood she did. It's impossible to judge someone's life. I applaud her honesty in sharing her life and her goal to "inspire others to share their stories, receive support and feel empowered by their ability to survive, forgive, heal, transcend and live the life of their dreams." This was a five star read for me. If you enjoyed North of Normal, Educated or The Glass Castle, you'll enjoy American Daughter.