Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for IdentityFar From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity
Score Modern
What it's about
Andrew Solomon spent ten years interviewing more than three hundred families whose children were profoundly different from their parents: children who are deaf, have dwarfism, Down syndrome, autism or schizophrenia, are prodigies, were conceived in rape, committed crimes, or are transgender. Each chapter explores how families come to accept, and often celebrate, children unlike themselves, and what that says about love and identity.
Why it's worth reading
It's a monumental, deeply compassionate book that won the NBCC Award, and readers say it changed how they think about parenting, difference and what makes a family. Many call it life-changing.
You'll love it if you liked
The Body Keeps the Score
When Breath Becomes Air
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of CancerGood to know
It's nearly 1,000 pages, but each chapter stands alone, so you can read the ones that speak to you. Some chapters cover crime and sexual violence.
By the numbers
- Readers88 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics81 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller38 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #8 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #49 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #88 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
More by Andrew Solomon
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Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
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Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity worth reading?
Yes. It's a monumental, deeply compassionate book that won the NBCC Award, and readers say it changed how they think about parenting, difference and what makes a family. It ranks #88 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 86.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity about?
Andrew Solomon spent ten years interviewing more than three hundred families whose children were profoundly different from their parents: children who are deaf, have dwarfism, Down syndrome, autism or schizophrenia, are prodigies, were conceived in rape, committed crimes, or are transgender. Each chapter explores how families come to accept, and often celebrate, children unlike themselves, and what that says about love and identity.
How long does it take to read Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity?
About 24 hours (962 pages), or about 7 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity won?
NBCC Award (Nonfiction) winner (2012).
What should I read after Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity?
If you liked it, try The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi or The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee.