Your Roots Cast a Shadow: One family’s search across history for belonging by Caroline Topperman

Reviewed by Pamela Sinclair

Your Roots Cast a Shadow is a blend of past and present. The author deftly draws connections between her family’s past, beginning in the interwar years of 1920s Poland, her grandparents’ youth, her parents’ struggles, and her own life. The book also draws connections between these generations and how political and historical events of the past affected her parents and their siblings—contributing to strained relationships between family members that echo through subsequent generations.

Each chapter blends global and family history with a personal narrative that follows the author’s move to Poland with her husband Pawel and dog Pixie in 2013. The details of her move to Poland are intricate as are her shorter relocations within the city, and how they managed their day-to-day life. There are architectural observations about the historic city of Warsaw and its pre-war era architecture, which was restored to its original state and the communist era concrete buildings. The growing political unrest and protests are described. The family has a nomadic tradition that includes a more immersive travel experience than the typical tourist would ever experience. Establishing personal connections, and the struggles Topperman experienced in a new place is explored and examined. At times, it reminded me of my struggles having moved frequently over a lifetime (but never to another country).

This would not be a memoir without family rifts and secrets, and the delay in the author’s learning about what they were until she was an adult contributes to the book’s tension. The writing style is conversational, each chapter is like meeting with a friend over a pot of tea as they tell you about their family and how the political pressures imposed by war and communism shaped the lives and outcomes of those who both agreed with it or opposed its system. The deep distrust that communism engendered lingers, and how its persistent influence affects the interactions the author has with those she meets and the nature of her friendships with them.

The research for the book was extensive with many family interviews conducted by the author, as well as research drawn from letters between family members, official letters from organizations, and transcripts of interviews others have conducted in Polish. The family tree at the front of the book was handy to reference while reading, as with any family there was a large cast of characters to keep track of.

I found this to be an enjoyable read. Other than Poland being the location of Auschwitz, I was unaware of most of Poland’s history from that time, so it was good to learn about it. I enjoyed the writing style and how the information was presented in each chapter with relevant chapter titles and an overall throughline narrative. Family stories are complex, with many off-shoots and branches, but this one was skillfully blended into a cohesive narrative. I recommend reading this, particularly for those who love memoirs and enjoy examining how politics and historical influence people’s lives.

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About the Author

Caroline Topperman is a European Canadian and the author of Tell Me What You See. A world traveller, she lives in a worker’s cottage in Toronto, until the urge to move again strikes her. Her next book will cover her family’s history in Afghanistan.

About the Contributor

Pamela Sinclair is a writer and lifelong reader. She enjoys reading multiple genres, both fiction and nonfiction. She lives in Halifax, NS, with her husband, daughter, and a grumpy grey cat named Ben. She is currently working on her first novel.

Book Details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Health Communications Inc (Dec 17 2024)

• Language ‏ : ‎ English

• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages

• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0757325424

• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0757325427