THE STRONGBOX

A teenage girl begins a decadeslong search for her biological father in this memoir.

Harms, who previously wrote Pearls My Mother Wore (2009), describes her traumatic childhood with precision and candor in her new book. When the author was a teenager, her alcoholic mother died of a heart attack. According to Harms, she was left in the care of an abusive stepfather. She took solace in working odd jobs as a teen to save money and move to a nearby Oakland duplex with her best friend. But the author was eager to track down her biological father. She discovered clues about her mother’s past in a metal file box (“the strongbox”), including divorce papers, in which a certain Mr. Abbott agreed to pay child support. In her 20s, Harms began working as a hairdresser and started abusing alcohol and drugs. When she finally wrote a letter to Mr. Abbott and did not hear back, she decided to improve her literacy skills in hopes of composing a more compelling letter. The author eventually became sober, learned about the decades of alcoholism and abuse in her family history, and earned a bachelor’s degree. She ultimately healed from her childhood traumas by looking within: “What dawned on me was that I had to stop abandoning myself.” Harms’ story at its core is an exciting mystery filled with twists and turns. The memoir includes several reveals, many of which are disturbing, such as the fact that her alcoholic mother died sitting at a bar (“literally dropped dead off her barstool”). Yet the author also maintains a refreshing sense of humor. Readers will enjoy the deft portrayals of her ill-fated relationships with married men and “James Dean” types. Unfortunately, several sections are bogged down by summaries, and the descriptions of Harms’ childhood sometimes feel a bit heavy-handed. But what begins as an attempt to find her father becomes a series of journeys—to sobriety, financial security, and self-discovery—in a rewarding and memorable read.

A richly told adventure that explores the meaning of family and the power of grit.