Somebody's Daughter: A Memoir

By Ashley C. Ford

Book Overview

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
NBCC John Leonard Prize Finalist
Indie Bestseller

"This is a book people will be talking about forever." --Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Untamed

"Ford's wrenchingly brilliant memoir is truly a classic in the making. The writing is so richly observed and so suffused with love and yearning that I kept forgetting to breathe while reading it." --John Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author

One of the most prominent voices of her generation debuts with an extraordinarily powerful memoir: the story of a childhood defined by the looming absence of her incarcerated father.

Through poverty, adolescence, and a fraught relationship with her mother, Ashley C. Ford wishes she could turn to her father for hope and encouragement. There are just a few problems: he's in prison, and she doesn't know what he did to end up there. She doesn't know how to deal with the incessant worries that keep her up at night, or how to handle the changes in her body that draw unwanted attention from men. In her search for unconditional love, Ashley begins dating a boy her mother hates. When the relationship turns sour, he assaults her. Still reeling from the rape, which she keeps secret from her family, Ashley desperately searches for meaning in the chaos. Then, her grandmother reveals the truth about her father's incarceration . . . and Ashley's entire world is turned upside down.

Somebody's Daughter steps into the world of growing up a poor Black girl in Indiana with a family fragmented by incarceration, exploring how isolating and complex such a childhood can be. As Ashley battles her body and her environment, she embarks on a powerful journey to find the threads between who she is and what she was born into, and the complicated familial love that often binds them.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1250305977
• ISBN13: 9781250305978
• Release Date: June 2021
• Publisher: Flatiron Books: An Oprah Book
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Courageous and beautiful memoir

An amazing memoir of Ashley C. Ford’s contentious relationship with her family, and how she rose above childhood struggles that many of us face (but few talk about), and overcame it all. This book left me feeling a deep respect for the author and ended better than I expected. Way to go, Ashley!

Somebody’s Daughter Spoke to My Soul

Ashley Ford’s memoir is a powerful, deeply resonant journey through a complicated childhood, emotional growth, and the reclaiming of one’s voice. Her honesty and vulnerability are breathtaking. I found myself pausing often—either to reflect on her words or to let my own emotions settle. What I loved most was Ashley’s ability to describe emotional nuance with such clarity. From navigating identity and family trauma to finding empowerment in her own truth, her story is both raw and redemptive. This isn’t just a coming-of-age story—it’s a reclaiming of self. Who should read this: If you’ve ever struggled to make peace with your past, to find your voice, or to understand the complicated bonds of family, this book will speak to you. It’s especially powerful for Black women, survivors, and those doing inner child work.