We Never Told: A Novel

by Diana Altman

Overview

We Never Told is a page-turning novel about a glamorous family in the golden age of Hollywood. Set in suburban New York, it follows Sonya Adler's life from growing up in a "broken home," to the hippie sixties, and into the present with a shocking twist at the end. The story outlines a time when unmarried women were shamed into putting their newborns up for adoption and the consequences which have touched thousands of people. This fast-paced story is not just about sisters keeping a secret but is a heart-wrenching and funny tale about a not often talked-about part of American history: children finding their birth families fifty years later.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631525438
Publisher:	She Writes Press
Publication date:	06/11/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Diana Altman is the author of Hollywood East: Louis B. Mayer and the origins of the studio system, a work of nonfiction that continues to be quoted in books of film history and movie star biographies. Her novel In Theda Bara’s Tent was described by Publishers Weekly as “enthralling.” Her short stories have been published in StoryQuarterly, Trampset, and The Notre Dame Review. Her articles have appeared in The NY Times, Boston Herald, Forbes, Yankee, Moment, American Heritage, Harvard Magazine, and elsewhere. She has appeared on radio and television, including on Entertainment Tonight. She has lectured at The New York Society Library, Harvard Club, M.I.T., Boston Public Library, and UJA of New York. She sings with the 92nd Street Y chorus and plays squash. She is a graduate of Connecticut College and Harvard University.

Editorial Reviews

2020 Gold/1st Place Winner, Feathered Quill Book Awards Program—Women's Fiction “Altman’s writing is thoughtful and articulate. . . . The author speaks with sophistication and style about the experiences of American women in the recent past.” —Kirkus Reviews “Diana Altman is a brilliantly clever novelist.” —Scott Neuffer, Editor, Trampset “Altman's uncanny ability to yoke the everyday drama out of life and imbue her characters with an emotional complexity makes We Never Told a novel that gets to the essence of what family is. A tale that unfolds with nuance and an endearing sense of humor, this is the kind of writing that is impossible to shake as it bravely mirrors our collective experience of learning to love what feels at times impossible to embrace.” —Liam Everett, award-winning artist “In its finely observed depiction of family dynamics, We Never Told reminds me of Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping or Richard Ford's Canada. This is a compelling novel that deserves to be widely read.” —Graham Hillard, editor of the Cumberland River Review “Diana Altman’s We Never Told is a witty, insightful, compelling novel about a woman’s journey to unlock a family secret that is burning a hole in her life. The deftly told story offers a fresh look at the way childhood myths cast shadows on adult life. This book grabbed me from the first page and never disappointed.” —Nancy Newman, author of Disturbing the Peace “Diana Altman’s We Never Told is a fascinatingly intimate look into a outwardly glamorous, inwardly fractured family, whose bonds are undermined by decades of secrecy. Ms. Altman’s prose is wise, comforting, absorbing, and generous. We Never Told is a deeply interesting, quietly stunning novel.” —Cintra Wilson author of Fear and Clothing and former New York Times Critical Shopper “The titles true value is in Altman’s fleshing out of characters and family dynamics in a style reminiscent of Wally Lamb.” —Booklist “[W]e all are a result of the influences of those around us. That is the beautiful lesson ofWe Never Told. Altman weaves together an incredible story of women, children, families, caretakers, the world in the late 20th century, and that of today, and makes each aspect of her story completely relevant to now. While the book takes place in the 20th century, it isn’t historical fiction but a timely read for today’s generation. It is one that I highly recommend.” —Macsbooks “Every house has ghosts as long as every family has secrets. This is something Westchester native and author Diana Altman knows well. Her newest novel, We Never Told, examines her family’s own truths in a painfully honest way that shows Altman’s ability to craft artful stories in the sweet spot between fantasy and the truth.” —The Scarsdale Inquirer “The characters in the book are real and relatable . . . . This book will speak to many for all the secrets we’ve kept, secrets we couldn’t keep, and secrets we wished we never knew.” —BookTrib

From the Publisher

2019-03-19
A woman born to an affluent New York family reflects on her upbringing and evolving perceptions of her parents.

Altman's (In Theda Bara's Tent, 2010, etc.) latest novel begins with an ominous proclamation: "While cleaning out my mother's files after she died alone at her secluded house behind a locked gate near the Catskill Mountains, her five cats yowling from fear and hunger, I came upon an alarming letter." From this document, Sonya Adler learns that many years ago, her mother, Violet, gave up a son for adoption. This discovery causes Sonya to recount her life story, beginning with the moment when she was told her parents would be divorcing. Her mother is the beautiful daughter of a wealthy industrialist; her father is an acclaimed movie producer 20 years her senior. After their separation, the shame of her mother's unmarried status haunts Sonya's childhood and shapes her view of relationships into adulthood. Altman's writing is thoughtful and articulate. Though Sonya's story includes many formative experiences, such as moving to a new neighborhood, mourning her relatives' deaths, and falling in love with her eventual husband, the focus repeatedly returns to her mother. Violet is shown to be a complex, at times contradictory person. It is up to readers to decide whether she is petulant or passionate; an irresponsible mother or a woman trying to escape the expectations of a 1950s housewife. Sonya narrates her views on feminist issues and social mores quite earnestly. Many of her anecdotes are compelling and historically revealing, such as her fight to keep her maiden surname when casting a vote. She is admirably cognizant of her own flaws: She admits to being sheltered, changing for people who make her unhappy, and feeling jealous of her sister. But despite its many strengths, the plot is often lacking in conflict. Sonya describes her personal dramas quietly and solemnly, and few are sustained for very long. As a result, the flavor of the story is slightly bland.

While this narrative remains light on action, the author speaks with sophistication and style about the experiences of American women in the recent past.

Kirkus Reviews