Somebody's Daughter

This memoir opens with a letter from the author's father, who has been in prison most of her life. He is writing to tell her he is finally getting out. From there, you go back with Ashley through childhood, puberty, trauma, and a fraught relationship with her mother and stepfather. This book is a portrait of what it is like to grow up a poor Black girl, the isolation that defines her experience, and the relationships that sustain her. A coming-of-age tale that will have your heart breaking at the same time your belief in humanity is being restored.