Postcards from Cookie: A Memoir of Motherhood, Miracles, and a Whole Lot of Mail

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Description

Award-winning journalist Caroline Clarke was born in an era when adoptions were shameful and secret and sealed. Her story begins with a happy childhood in the Bronx. She never had any desire to know her birth parents until some health concerns led her to contact Spence-Chapin Family Services.

The adoption agency's response sparked a series of stunning discoveries. Caroline had known her biological family for more than twenty years. Her birth mother, nicknamed "Cookie," was the sister of one of her dearest college friends. Moreover, the family was a prominent one, known throughout the world for not just one but two generations of musical greatness, including the singer Natalie Cole and her iconic father, Nat King Cole, whose music had filled Caroline's life.

And so Caroline's story begins again. Drawing on details provided by the agency and her own investigative skills, she embarks on a life-changing relationship with Cookie that stretches from coast to coast. Forged primarily through the mail, particularly hundreds of postcards, they share confidences, unite their families, and build a bond like no other.

Reviews

"A moving account of a woman who finally finds out who she is." -- New York Times Book Review "Page after elegant, funny, and poignant page, POSTCARDS FROM COOKIE astounds. The power of Clarke's writing is matched by the complex and remarkable relationship between two extraordinary and unforgettable women." -- Patrik Henry Bass, Essence "A sensitive memoir of identity and self-discovery... Splendid, soul-baring." -- Publishers Weekly "A loving ... account of the enduring power of family love." -- Booklist (starred review) "The exchange of postcards, phone calls and emails between mother and daughter are moving, and Clarke's capacity for forgiveness is real." -- Juicy "Caroline Clarke has written more than a memoir. Postcards from Cookie is an iconic portrait of a singular American family -- complete with celebrity and wealth, secrets and lies, heart pounding loss and hard-earned, often uneasy, love." -- Veronica Chambers, author of Mama's Girl "I'm excited to add Postcards from Cookie to the bookshelves at my restaurant, the Red Rooster. This stunning memoir is so emblematic of the love and joy I see in our patrons every day; a never-ending story about family, friendship, love and history." -- Marcus Samuelsson, co-owner of the Red Rooster in Harlem and award-winning author of Yes, Chef "Clarke's prose is elegant, crisp and deeply personal, and her narration is gripping... Clarke effectively explores her crisis of identity by peeling back layer after layer of a complex, riveting personal history... A captivating memoir." -- Kirkus Reviews "No, seriously - you're going to want to read this book because Postcards from Cookie will send you away satisfied." -- Long Island Pulse "Their journey of reunion is captured with sensitivity, as Caroline describes all the anxieties (including those of her adopted parents) in this touching diary which reveals the joys and sorrows of adoption." -- Iron Mountain Daily News "Downright riveting... Read it." -- Ebony "A 'must read' novel-like memoir." -- Black Enterprise

Author Bio

Caroline Clarke has spent most of her career at the media company Black Enterprise, where throughout the years she has held several key positions. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Smith College and a master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. A passionate advocate for adoption, she lives in New York with her family.