The 10 - by E a Hanks (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From the Vanity Fair and New York Times contributor comes a "masterful blend of humor, heartache, and unforgettable landscapes" (Adrienne Brodeur, New York Times bestselling author of Wild Game) recounting the solo, cross-country road trip she made along the Ten across the American southwest on a mission to uncover both what harrowing violence may or may not have happened to her late mother, but also, to look within and discover who she herself is--where her mother ends and she begins.

Driving her trusty minivan "Minnie," E.A. Hanks retraces the route of a memorable road trip she once took with her mother, seeking to understand the complex woman who shaped her life. Along the way, as she follows her mother's diaries and her own recollections of the route, she begins to uncover secrets--some unexpectedly wonderful, and others darker and more violent than she ever imagined--that bring more questions than answers.

From the quiet expanses of White Sands National Park to the bustling streets of New Orleans, and the Texas-Mexico border to the swamps of the Florida panhandle, she interacts with the amazing breadth and diversity of the people that call these places home. Reckoning with the past, the present, her memories, and herself, Hanks brings us along a poignant journey, revealing how the stories tied to the places we come from shape the narratives of who we are.

Review Quotes

"[Hanks] shines in this affecting debut chronicle of her turbulent relationship with her mother.... her journey will resonate with anyone entangled in a messy parent-child bond... a forthright and moving account." - Publishers Weekly

"E.A.Hanks has accomplished something I didn't know was possible. She has written a travel memoir that reads like a thriller and a gorgeous one at that. With breathtaking prose and at breakneck speed, Hanks takes us on an odyssey across America in search of her elusive past. I cannot think of a writer since Joan Didion who writes about place and the characters that inhabit it quite in the way Hanks does. I was myself struck by her literary lightning over and over again and here is the highest praise. I did not want the journey to end." - Mary Morris, author of The Red House and The River Queen

"In The 10, every mile is a revelation. E.A. Hanks intertwines geography and memory, drawing readers into her exploration of family secrets and self-discovery. A masterful blend of humor, heartache, and unforgettable landscapes, this memoir reminds us that family, like the open road, is as winding as it is essential. Hanks's story, at once intimate and universal, is a testament to how the open road can both reveal and heal. A truly moving memoir." - Adrienne Brodeur, New York Times bestselling author of Wild Game

"Readers will be enamored with Hanks' curiosity and vivid imagery, from Santa Monica to White Sands National Park, Marfa, New Orleans, and the Atlantic. Like the best travel writing, Hanks' work tracks how place shapes identity through history and nostalgia, while the unknown changes us via wonder and awe." - Booklist (Starred Review)

"Sometimes sparkling, sometimes somber narrative of a sojourn along America's southernmost interstate highway.... heartfelt, yearning...poetic.... A lively, lovely take on an old standby, the road trip as a journey within." - Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

About the Author

E.A. Hanks lives in Los Angeles, California. Formerly a staffer at Vanity Fair, she has contributed to Time, The Guardian, The New York Times, and others. Follow her on Instagram @EAHanks.