My Abandonment
“Tai Sammons’ narration commands attention. Her matter-of-fact recounting of daily events deepens the mystery surrounding the two. In a straightforward, unemotional delivery, Sammons imparts Father’s paranoia, Caroline’s ability to calm him from his helicopter dreams, and her frequently lyrical observations concerning her education, her occasional bouts of loneliness, and their day-to-day survival. Definitely a worthwhile listen.”
AudioFile
A Publishers Weekly Pick of Novels on Women in the Wild
A Millions.com Pick of 9 Upcoming Book-to-Film Adaptations
An Oprah Pick of Books behind Summer's Biggest Movies
Leave No Trace, a film adaptation of My Abandonment, directed by Debra Granik (Winter's Bone) premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim.
A thirteen-year-old girl and her father live in Forest Park, an enormous nature preserve in Portland, Oregon. They inhabit an elaborate cave shelter, wash in a nearby creek, store perishables at the water's edge, use a makeshift septic system, tend a garden, even keep a library of sorts. Once a week they go to the city to buy groceries and otherwise merge with the civilized world. But one small mistake allows a backcountry jogger to discover them, which derails their entire existence, ultimately provoking a deeper flight.
Inspired by a true story and told through the startlingly sincere voice of its young narrator, Caroline, My Abandonment is a riveting journey into life at the margins and a mesmerizing tale of survival and hope.
Praise