Before and After

Before and After

Adult nonfiction
"Under the autocratic control of Georgia Tann, and thanks to her
effective grip on look-the-other-way politicians, TCHS [Tennessee
Children's Home Society] managed to operate in Memphis from 1924 to
1950 without scrutiny or interference. Approximately five thousand
children, many of whom were not actually orphaned, passed through the
agency's doors. An unknown number, estimated at five hundred,
perished in unregulated, often squalid, holding facilities. Others
were delivered into homes that faced little or no scrutiny, to parents
who, for a host of reasons, could not adopt conventionally.
Imagine you've just given birth to a healthy baby. The next
morning you're told that the baby died during the night. The hospital
will take care of the burial. Only the baby is alive and well and
being smuggled to a couple desperate to become parents and willing to
pay a hefty price. This was only one of the ruses that helped Georgia
Tann, who had doctors and social workers on her payroll, become a very
wealthy woman.
When Tann died and her empire went down with her the children
whose lives she had forever changed were scattered all over the
country. They grew up and had children of their own. Then in 2017
something amazing happened. Many were reading Lisa Wingate's Before
We Were Yours and realizing that it told their stories.
Connie Wilson was one of those enlightened adoptees. She became
a book club speaker. One day she emailed Wingate a suggestion. How
about a reunion of TCHS survivors?
Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate's Before and After consists of
two interwoven strands. One is the coverage of the preparations for
the reunion and the event itself, including a visit to the cemetary
where a monument marks the final resting place of some of Tann's
littlest victims. The other strand is the poignant stories of some of
the adopted children, now parents and grandparents.
Although the narratives abd photographs are spell binding in
their own right, Before and After offers one more substantial
benefit. It can help readers more fully appreciate our families whom
it sometimes can be easy to take for granted.
On a purrrsonal note, look at that! We're at another weekend! I hope
you had a good week. I did. My anniversary was awesome. I had
several visitors. Lisa delivered my food box which included plums,
grapefruit, and more granny smith apples for pie baking. Diane
brought me community garden organic veggies. Emily brought me library
books plus the index cards I needed and the candy bars I coveted.
During the days I got enough work done to justify my evenings of total
luxury reading outside in the evening breeze with freeze pops and
other snacks. And with charming little Tobago I am never all alone.
I hope you have fun weekend plans. I am probably going to camp with
Eugene for the weekend. Bringing my library books of course.
Speaking of books, this review makes book #1737 which is pretty good
for about nine years. And there are so many great books yet to read.
(Jules)
Another good week for me. I am loving this shelter in place advice.
I am a big fan of Dr. Fauci and his good advice. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our family and friends whom we never
take for granted and Dr. Fauci who should be totally running America's
COVID response.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway


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