As a fellow South African adoptee, Lucky Bastard struck a rare and personal chord—this is the first memoir I’ve read by another South African adoptee, and that alone made it an extraordinary experience. Anthony Akerman doesn’t just tell a story; he pulls you into his world with masterful detail, weaving together politics, culture, and history with a keen eye and razor-sharp wit. His introspection is unflinching, his humor delightfully sly, and his honesty both searing and vulnerable.
The inclusion of photographs is a gift—each image adds weight and intimacy, turning names into faces, transforming words into something almost tangible. Beyond his personal journey, the depth of research into ancestry and lineage elevates this memoir, making it as much a historical tapestry as it is a deeply personal exploration of identity.
And yet, through all the revelations and discoveries, one truth remains: the adoptee is the most affected, yet so often the least considered. That reality sits heavy in my chest. I felt it in the spaces between his words, in the questions he asked himself, in the ache of searching for something that can never fully be reclaimed.
As someone who was also adopted through the closed system in South Africa, I resonated deeply. His journey is uniquely his, yet it carries the echoes of so many of ours. This is more than a memoir. It’s a reckoning. A masterful and necessary read that “the world and his wife” should be invited to read!
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