Somebody's Daughter

By: Ashley C. Ford

Narrated by: Ashley C. Ford

Audie Awards 2022 finalist in the Autobiography/Memoir category

An Oprah book

Throughout her adolescence, Ashley Ford doesn't know how to deal with the worries that keep her up at night. If only she could turn to her father for his advice and support. But he's in prison, and she doesn't know what he did to end up there. After being raped by her ex-boyfriend, Ashley desperately searches for her sense of self. Then, her grandmother reveals the truth about her father's incarceration...and Ashley's world is turned upside down.

Ashley embarks on a powerful journey to find the connections between who she is and what she was born into, discovering that, however much we might try to untether ourselves from a painful past, the ties that bind families together are the strongest ones of all.

©2021 Ashley C. Ford (P)2021 Bonnier Books UK

Critic reviews

"Beautifully written, searingly honest, and deeply affecting...when the book ended, I only wanted more." (Roxane Gay)

"Ford is a writer for the ages, and Somebody's Daughter will be a book of the year." (Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed)

"Truly a classic in the making." (John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars)

"Sure to be one of the best memoirs of 2021." (Kirkus Reviews)

"A heart-wrenching coming-of age story." (Time)

"Her coming-of-age story gets at how to both acknowledge and break away from what we're born into." (Cosmopolitan)

"A beautiful, delicate memoir...a journey toward true and powerful selfhood." (Elle)

An unmistakably great memoir

Ashley Ford's memoir is a fabulous literary work. The quality of her writing is top class. On top of that, her story is one which is worth hearing. I was riveted to the audiobook, fascinated by depth and clarity she communicated her life journey. It almost felt like I was living her life and I found it easy to identify with what she had written about herself despite the reality that I have lived a fundamentally different life.

I have to emphasise that the quality of her writing is superb. I can't think of many writers that write so well. It was also great to have her narrate her own story.

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Ashley’s writing touches the heart. Honest, broken open, no filters, no looking good and so passionately desirous about finding her bonds with people.
I wept with her in parts. I introspected. I opened a conversation with my own daughter to discuss my failings as a mother.
Ashley’s narration of emotions is part funny and part touching but most of all it makes a permanent place in the heart.