The Impostor's Daughter by Laurie Sandell

Laurie grew up with a larger than life father, a man who she worshiped and feared. His charisma and personality drew people to him even as he took advantage of them, and this was mostly true of his family. Shaped by her father's seeming past, Laurie grew to be a restless wanderer with a difficulty with relationships. While she couldn't seem to trust others romantically she was able to draw out trust in the celebrities that she interviewed, and as she slowly found her place in her job she discovered that her personal life was falling apart. Not until she was able to face her personal demons and find out the truth behind her father was Laurie able to truly grow as a person and be comfortable in her own skin.

This was a bit surreal. As someone that was raised by a nice Midwestern Scandinavian family, it seems like total fiction that someone's father would con not only strangers and employers but also his family members and personal friends. Taking not only their money but also their trust and twisting it until you don't know quite where you stand with any of your relationships.

The experiences that Laurie goes through, the fact that she lived in Israel and was an exotic dancer in Japan, make it seem all that more imaginative. But these incredible experiences lead her to journalism and refining her abilities to tell a story whether it's hers or a celebrities'. She has gifts that developed from her father, and a drive to cultivate them in order to find herself. After Laurie starts delving into her past, she realizes that she must confront her father's past to find some sort of peace. It's fascinating to see what happens once she realizes the depth of psychological despair she's going through that has developed from her relationship with her father.

An intense memoir.

Laurie Sandell has written the memoir of the Madoff family which is coming out Oct. 31st. Looks like she's gotten quite good at writing the memories of families that live with con-men.