Growing Up and Finding Her

Chicago’s East Side and its Fox Valley suburbs form the backdrop for Growing Up and Finding Her, a memoir told with the poignancy that only a true story can deliver. Authors Brad and Mary Buettner recount how their lives stream together following the difficult challenges of the 1950s and 60s when their families struggled to overcome poverty, misfortune, and mental illness.

The contrast between Brad Buettner’s small-town environment and Mary Ellen Janowski’s big-city experience is one aspect...