Eleanor's Rebellion: A Mother, Her Son, and Her Secret

Poignant, serious story of betrayal and a man's search for the truth, and for a way to come to terms. I felt tremendous compassion for all the major characters, probably because David portrays his parents with great depth. He also tells his story simply, without fluff - and that only adds power to his memoir. I found this book inspiring and enlightening.

I don't think I've ever read a more honest memoir covering such difficuly material. The author is unsurpassed in describing both his own, often bad, behaviors and the tough material of his family's life. Moreover, he shows very clearly what knowing "the truth" about family secrets can and cannot do. I have studied what is called "the intergenerational transmission of trauma" and this book describes one form of it better than anything I've ever read. I also found the author's style to be both learned and lucid, often bringing in material from various experts in the field. I recommend it to anyone who has had to deal with family secrets or trauma, either in one's own life or as a professional.

David Siff is a brilliant writer whether under his birth name, or his well respected sports work as David Falkner. This autobiograpy has a new twist in every chapter, and since we know that he is Van Heflin's son from the start, we play along with his life knowing the secret he has yet to learn. A fascinating moment - lunch at a Hollywood studio commissary with Heflin in the room, and David invited to join the group.

Very well written; unusual and worthwhile firsthand story

David Siff's poignant odyssey in search of his true identity is ignited when he is forty and accidentally reads "Birth by Adoption" stamped on his birth certificate in the New York City registry. This elegantly written autobiography, more than a biography, engaged me completely as Siff painstakingly confronts his "parents" and family in order to learn the truth. Shrouded in secrecy, denial, half-truths and lies, he pieces the puzzle together. The last significant pieces finally turn up serendipitously long after his mother's death. The author's dogged pursuit contrasts to Eleanor's disingenuous parries as he lunges for the truth about his birth. Throughout, Eleanor appears veiled, silent about the details of her affair with David's biological father, a famous movie star, and evasive about Siff's first years. By the end of this fast-reading book, I had a profound sense of the author's sadness, yearning and disorientation from birth, and on the other hand, an equally profound respect for his mother's rebellious courage and solitary mission in the name of love and devotion.