“Last Seen” is a vitally important project and I am glad the author has taken the time to do this work. That being said, this is not an easy read. As a descendant of slaves and as a mother, family separation is not an enjoyable thing to read about. It was an unimaginably barbaric practice that is too often overlooked or downplayed in the history of American slavery—“a continued and structural exercise in child abuse.” Although it is difficult subject, we owe it to those who came before us to bear witness to their stories and their efforts to reunite with lost loved ones. I am glad to have read this book and to have had the opportunity to reflect on the history of my country and my family, and to to think about how humanity can or should move forward. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this advanced reader copy.