I really wanted to like this book more than I did. And I thought I would like it more so I was pretty bummed. The idea of finding outv hrough DNA testing that your dad is not your biological father is fascinating to me. I know it's going to be more and more common but right now it seems fairly new to me so it makes a great story.
Unfortunately I felt like this story would have been better as a novel. The dialogue was awkward. There were several parts of the story where I lost interest and got bored. And without getting to know the background story between his mom and biological father what keeps the story interesting? Nothing really. This book could have been half as long and probably would have been better for it.

Thanks for the advanced copy #netgalley #themilkmansson Here is the description of the book---Raised in a family he bore little resemblance to, Randy was jokingly referred to as "the milkman’s son." This warm and candid memoir chronicles the unraveling of a family secret, which begins with Randy’s dad having dreams about deceased relatives urging him to complete their family tree. Randy agrees to help with the genealogy, but after his searching leads to a dead end, he takes a commercially available DNA test. The results reveal a possible genetic match to a sister, which begins a familial quest that forever changes the author’s life.

Featuring a cast of vivid characters, richly drawn from two distinct families, The Milkman’s Son reveals one man’s family tree, pulling back layers of new information as he gets closer to the truth—a biological father, siblings, and family members he never knew about.

This is a story of accepting, forgiving, reuniting, and, most importantly, it’s about the bonds that connect us and the unconditional love that makes us feel like we belong.

I thought it was an enjoyable read.

An interesting and poignant journey to find lost family. This is no modern problem as many a family have had fractures along the history route. A modern ancestry hunt with DNA and online research is the final answer to reconciliation. A bumpy journey with a happy ending.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC. When ancestry research gives you more information than you were ready for. An account of how one son finds his father. This does seem to happen quite a bit. I took a class where we got our DNA analyzed and one of the participants, who knew he was adopted, found a half sister. The message would be: be ready for anything (especially if are the Golden State Killer).

Randy Lindsay, on a quest to find his genealogy via Internet research, uncovers more than he ever expected when he learns through DNA testing that his dad is not his biological father. He has half-siblings living on the other side of the country, who happily embrace him as family.

This type of memoir is bound to become abundant as DNA testing is becoming more popular. Inheritance by Dani Shapiro is a bestselling memoir with similar story, and Lindsay even mentions that most people know someone who’s discovered family secrets through DNA testing. I do think this particular story is interesting, but I wonder if it’s interesting enough to warrant an entire book.

Lindsay’s memoir is filled with a lot of mundane details about corresponding with half-siblings via social media and email; once he discovers this second family, there really isn’t any conflict to propel the story forward (which is nice for him but not as engaging for us readers). I wish he had included more of the relationship between his Mom and this biological father, but Lindsay seems to recognize that it’s not his story to tell (however frustrating that may be for the reader).

I’m glad that the author has enjoyed such a positive relationship with his recently discovered half-siblings and his biological father. I’m not sure a book was necessary, but when such a thing happens to a writer, I guess you’re bound to get a memoir about it.

I appreciate Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy of this book.

First sentence: The dastardly thing about a life-changing event is that it can disguise itself as a normal day.

Premise/plot: Randy Lindsay grew up being called 'the Milkman's son' because he looked nothing like his siblings--all younger. But he never suspected that his dad wasn't his biological father. When his father asks him to do genealogical research and record the family tree, he didn't know that it would end up changing his life. The project started out as research, a side-project. He soon became obsessed with tracking all the lines of his family, in particular the LINDSAY line of his tree. Was he a Lindsay with an A or a Lindsey with an E. When traditional research left him at a dead end, he decided to do a DNA test little expecting that the results of that test would change him and how he defined family. The 'journey' spans almost a decade--perhaps a little more. He chronicles the ups and downs of the experience. He focuses on his feelings and on his relationships.

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. I found it a captivating story. In part because he is a good writer and knows how to tell a story. I've read other "DNA mystery" books where family secrets are spilled and lives are changed. This is the best I've read so far. The other book I read felt like it should have been about ten pages--no more. This one wasn't like that at all. It was actually a good read. I loved his developing interest in genealogy. I could definitely relate to his DILEMMA: "I struggle with the decision of whether I should go to bed or check one more name." And I smirked here, " I finally connect the Lindsays to a royal line and it happens to be one that includes an infamous villain in popular fiction. Does that mean the next time I watch a Robin Hood movie I need to root for the bad guy? That isn’t any fun. I already know he’s going to lose. And it will make me look like an idiot if I sit there during the movie and chant, “King John. King John. Go-o-o-o-o Lackland.”

An insightful autobiography that speaks to those with skeletons in the family closet, or just an interest in family history.

Personally, I would have liked to hear more of the author's mother's reasoning; why did she keep it from him/his fathers? Why was she so obstinate in talking about it once the truth came out? How did she feel about the truth being known? However, the author did explain at the start that the focus was to be on his relationships with his fathers, and he handled it sensitively and tactfully without appearing to blame his mother for her choices (something that would likely be difficult in his situation!)

The author was real in sharing his struggles and difficulties in accepting the news, and it was great to see how his relationship with not only his family of origin, but his newly discovered family developed through time.

Definitely one to read.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Milkman’s Son by Randy Lindsay is a poignant story about what it means to belong in a family. It also is a wonderful tale of self discovery, forgiveness, and unconditional love. Being adopted myself and researching my DNA to find my birth family, I have had many of the feelings Randy describes so well. A fun, uplifting read.

Certainly an interesting topic, as I also found out from DNA testing that I had a half sister I never knew about either. DNA secrets are a fascinating topic in and of itself.

As being a memoir, I give this book more grace. Nevertheless, it could have been told with half the pages. It stretches into every little stream of consciousness just to fill space, it seems. That was tedious as well as the whining. (My wife takes trips to visit her family...spends money....why can’t I? verbiage.) The whole story could be tightened up considerably.

As a genetic genealogist, Randy’s story is all too familiar to me. So many of my clients have similar stories. Few, however, have one that turns out as beautifully as Randy’s did. The way Randy and his new family members meshed and joined is simply beautiful and magical. I really enjoyed reading the story from his perspective, and I hope he gets to get out to visit them a whole lot more often WHEN this book becomes a success. Thank you to Randy for sharing his family’s story with us, and thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review it.

When I requested this book on Netgalley, I wasn't sure what to expect. This isn't usually the kind of books I read. However, I was enthralled from the beginning. I loved the details of the story and following along with this memoir and watching the relationships develop and unfold. I read this one over the course of my evening and couldn't put it down. We've all heard jokes about someone belonging to the milkman or the mailman, but to find out that you aren't who you thought you were at the tender age of 57, that is something that is a lot to take in.

This book is full of honesty and humor and explores non-traditional family creation. It is one of those situations where truth is stranger than fiction. I have never read this author but liked the narrative and his writing style. I would definitely recommend this one to others.

interesting book. Glad there was a happy ending, and author had a good relationship with ALL his family. I loved that they embraced him as a brother and son.

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.