Author Visit | Allison Lawrentz Barnhart

Join local author Allison Lawrentz Barnhart as she discusses her debut book, “The Record Keeper: The Unfolding of a Family Secret in the Age of Genetic Genealogy.” 

"In a 1950s small Midwestern town, Evelyn, a young wife and mother, found solace from a world where she had little say by methodically documenting her life through various hobbies: taking photos, creating scrapbooks, and keeping...everything. But in doing so, she inadvertently laid the groundwork for her future granddaughter, Allison, a young wife and mother herself, to unearth a 60-year-old secret capable of reshaping an entire branch of their family tree-and their identity. The Record Keeper is a true story about DNA, genealogy, and memory. This touching personal  narrative brings to light the complex dynamics of family and friendships, motherhood and marriage-how they can be torn apart by betrayal and abuse, yet mended together by time,  forgiveness, and love."