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HONORS
GALLERY
A Family Across Town:
My Father's Double Life
A Family Across Town is a riveting literary memoir about the devastating power of family secrets and the quiet damage caused by lives built on deception. Growing up in a suburb of Los Angeles, the author and her three siblings always felt something was off in their family, and then adulthood revealed the staggering truth: their pediatrician father had a double life with another woman and two daughters just across town.
In the aftermath of that discovery, she begins to examine not only her father’s deception, but the emotional architecture that made it possible. Why would a man choose a life divided between two families? Why would her mother remain in a marriage to someone who was never fully present? And how did growing up inside a lie shape the identities, relationships, and well-being of the four siblings left to make sense of it all?
By turns reflective, darkly funny, candid, and shocking, A Family Across Town explores betrayal, family dysfunction, and the psychological cost of secrecy across generations. In the spirit of Educated, Inheritance, and The Tender Bar, this memoir asks what happens when the people closest to us turn out to be strangers—and whether the truth can heal a family long after the damage is done.
PRAISE
“By relating her family’s heartbreak and her journey toward healing, Askanas offers a pitch-perfect explanation of how secrets poison relationships. Her fear, anger, and sadness will resonate with readers through her powerful prose, but most noteworthy is her strength… In the end, readers will empathize with Askanas through her willingness to confront a festering family secret and take an unflinching look at the truth.”
—BookLife
—BookLife
“A candid reflection on the generational impact of secrets… Get it!”
—Kirkus Reviews
—Kirkus Reviews
“A gripping family memoir crafted by an expert storyteller. Askanas depicts how the seemingly everyday moments of family life take on weighted meaning in the aftermath of a secret revealed. While that terrible secret lies at the center of Askanas’ memoir, her account reveals much more than just her father’s double life. Throughout, she writes with depth and empathy to explore how even under tremendous strain, familial ties still sustain. Her attention to each member of her family, complex consideration of what it means to come of age, and poignant retrospection make this memoir an unforgettable read.”
—Vince Granata, author of Everything is Fine
“I loved the issues addressed, like the cost of secrets in families and how they affect one’s life even as an adult. The events flowed seamlessly, leaving no room for confusion, and the reader will also appreciate the excellent narration, which adds to the overall appeal of the work. Aynah’s story is one of courage and resilience, and I believe it will motivate many people who might be facing various family issues. I look forward to reading something else from this author.”
—Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Review
—Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Review
“For years, Aynah has been haunted by a nameless emptiness she cannot explain. When a shocking family secret emerges, she must confront betrayal, loss, and the hidden truth that shaped her life from childhood. This memoir is unique and mesmerizing, a must-read!”
—Leslie Johansen Nack, author of Nineteen, A Daughter’s Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery
“I have long been interested in the unseen forces that shape our lives. In A Family Across Town, Aynah Askanas reveals how a family’s hidden truth echoes across time, affecting everything from intimacy to identity to the nervous system itself. With clarity and compassion, she tells a story that is both extraordinary and deeply familiar. This memoir reminds us that what is concealed does not disappear. It waits, quietly shaping the lives of everyone it touches. Read it!” —Kristina Amelong, author of What My Brother Knew, A Memoir
“In this fascinating and moving memoir, a daughter exposes her father’s deceitful history. Piecing together the details of a sordid past provides answers, yet it evokes questions that may remain unanswered. How does one make sense of an upbringing that was surrounded by lies? What does it mean when the people you love the most withhold the truth? The author takes readers on an amazing ride, exposing the selfish choices that shaped her and her siblings’ lives. This memoir delivers a shockingly painful past, while offering meaningful peace and recovery.”
—Michael Zimmerman, author of Suburban Bigamy: Six Miles Between Truth and Deceit