Family Secrets
iHeartPodcasts
iHeartPodcasts
Family Secrets. We all have them. And while the discovery of family secrets can initially be terrifying or traumatic, often these discoveries have the power to liberate, heal, and even uplift us. Join Dani Shapiro, bestselling author of the memoir Inheritance, and her guests as they explore astonishing family secrets and uncover the extraordinary lessons the truth can teach us.
Jan 22
After being coerced into homeschool by a mother whose love threatens to consume him, Stefan must confront how an isolated childhood shrouded in secrecy will shape his life. Stefan Merrill Block's memoir is titled Homeschooled. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 15
Marion and Tony are madly, deeply in love. But there are obstacles to their relationship, namely Tony’s sexual preference. When Tony loses his life to AIDS, Marion discovers just how many obstacles there really were. This year is the 30th Anniversary of Marion Winik's memoir, First Comes Love . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 8
In his locked study, Dorothy’s father works on his book. For years. And years. And years. But it’s not until after his death that Dorothy uncovers the secrets in between its unfinished pages. Dorothy Roberts is the author of The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 1
Karen vanishes with her children to escape a violent marriage, erasing a life in order to save it. But eventually, when it’s safe— if it’s safe—she must come out of hiding. Karen Palmer's book, She's Under Here , is out now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 25, 2025
In 1998, long before Dani discovered the truth of her biological paternity, she published a story called “The Secret Wife” about the discovery of her father’s second wife, a secret marriage that had been hidden for decades. Today, she reads and reflects on this story—the uncovering of the silent grief and buried histories that shaped her. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 18, 2025
When Francesca sets out to understand her father’s past, she is faced with a world of crime, silence, and denial. But it’s not just his past she must reckon with; it’s her present, her inheritance of a story no one wanted to tell. Francesca Fontana is the author of The Family Snitch . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 11, 2025
Sam grows up without knowing his biological father. As he enters adolescence, he begins to resemble Bob Dylan. A lot. So when Sam learns his mother had a brief relationship with Dylan in the 70s, the cascade of questions begins to flow. Sam Sussman's book, Boy from the North Country, is out now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 4, 2025
After centuries of ancestral trauma, Julian must listen closely to the stories of his family —stories of survival, memory, myth and generations of erasure—in order to discover the story of himself. Julian Brave NoiseCat's book, We Survived the Night , is out now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
