The Family That Never Was

Book excerpt: This highly emotional novel follows six generations of one family from the eighteen hundreds to the present. The main thrust of the story revolves around Jacob and Esther, their unabashed love for one-another, and their total lack of love, care, and nurturing of four children whom they brought into the world. The four children, of whom I am the oldest, grow up fending for themselves or relying on me, their Cinderella without glass slippers. The novel chronicles life and death, passionate love, rape and incest, childbirth and abortion, open heart surgery and more, including some fun and fascinating experiences; as well as our innumerable attempts to bring our family together. Along with being a novel abounding with emotion and incredulous happenstances, it hopes to disprove a long-standing adage that people live what they learn; as the four siblings around whom the novel is built have all risen above The Family That Never Was to being successful, loving and caring individuals with thriving families of their own.