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The Lost Daughter: A Memoir
A daughter of the Black Panther movement tells her remarkable life story of being raised amid violence and near-poverty, adopted as a teenager by Jane Fonda, and finding her way back home.
As she grew up in 1970s Oakland, California, role models for Mary Williams were few and far between: her father was often in prison, her older sister was a teenage prostitute, and her hot-tempered mother struggled to raise six children alone. When Mary was thirteen, a silver lining appeared in her life: she was invited to spend a summer at Laurel Springs Children's Camp, run by Jane Fonda and her then husband, Tom Hayden. Mary flourished at camp, and over the course of several summers, she began confiding in Fonda about her difficulties at home. During one school year, Mary suffered a nightmare assault crime, which she kept secret until she told a camp counselor and Fonda. After providing care and therapy for Mary, Fonda invited her to come live with her family.
Practically overnight, Mary left the streets of Oakland for the star-studded climes of Santa Monica. Jane Fonda was the parent Mary had never had--outside the limelight and Hollywood parties, Fonda was a wonderful mom who helped with homework, listened to adolescent fears, celebrated achievements, and offered inspiration and encouragement at every turn.
Mary's life since has been one of adventure and opportunity--from hiking the Appalachian Trail solo, working with the Lost Boys of Sudan, and living in the frozen reaches of Antarctica. Her most courageous trip, though, involved returning to Oakland and reconnecting with her biological mother and family, many of whom she hadn't seen since the day she left home. "The Lost Daughter" is a chronicle of her journey back in time, an exploration of fractured family bonds, and a moving epic of self-discovery.
As she grew up in 1970s Oakland, California, role models for Mary Williams were few and far between: her father was often in prison, her older sister was a teenage prostitute, and her hot-tempered mother struggled to raise six children alone. When Mary was thirteen, a silver lining appeared in her life: she was invited to spend a summer at Laurel Springs Children's Camp, run by Jane Fonda and her then husband, Tom Hayden. Mary flourished at camp, and over the course of several summers, she began confiding in Fonda about her difficulties at home. During one school year, Mary suffered a nightmare assault crime, which she kept secret until she told a camp counselor and Fonda. After providing care and therapy for Mary, Fonda invited her to come live with her family.
Practically overnight, Mary left the streets of Oakland for the star-studded climes of Santa Monica. Jane Fonda was the parent Mary had never had--outside the limelight and Hollywood parties, Fonda was a wonderful mom who helped with homework, listened to adolescent fears, celebrated achievements, and offered inspiration and encouragement at every turn.
Mary's life since has been one of adventure and opportunity--from hiking the Appalachian Trail solo, working with the Lost Boys of Sudan, and living in the frozen reaches of Antarctica. Her most courageous trip, though, involved returning to Oakland and reconnecting with her biological mother and family, many of whom she hadn't seen since the day she left home. "The Lost Daughter" is a chronicle of her journey back in time, an exploration of fractured family bonds, and a moving epic of self-discovery.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2013
62 people are currently reading
1400 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
April 22, 2013
ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING. MARY WILLIAMS IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING WOMEN I'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED. THIS STORY IS NOT JUST ABOUT HER MOTHER(S) BUT HER CONQUERING PERSONAL DEMONS.
May 22, 2013
Wow! Wow! Wow! I never read nonfiction but I'm glad I read this one. Her life is like a great adventure! Can't wait for this to be a movie.
March 5, 2013
I won this as a goodreads first-read giveaway. I really enjoyed reading this well written book about a fascinating woman.
May 19, 2013
Fascinating story and so well written. Mary had such a story to tell about her life experiences and she does it so eloquently. I finished the book in a week because there were so many adventures, challenges and great life changing moments that I couldn't put it down.
April 28, 2013
This book left me feeling a little flat after reading it. In many ways, I want to liken this book to the movie Big Fish as Williams told us of an extraordinary life starting with a childhood with the Black Panthers, being swept away by a movie star and then living in remote corners of the world like Antarctica. Yet despite these wild tales, it didn’t feel like we really got to know Williams at all; for instance why is she referred to as Lawanna throughout the book, yet she writes the book as Mary Williams? While Williams did tell us about some of the emotional trials she went through, I didn’t ever feel emotionally connected to the book, and thus when I finished it I felt nothing. I didn’t feel like it was a great book or a bad book, it was just a book.
March 3, 2014
I enjoyed this book, it starts off as a powerful coming of age story that I'm sure many urban youth could relate to and becomes a story about an incredibly brave woman who embraces life to the fullest.
May 22, 2013
i read this in my church book club. it is about a girl from the inner city who with the help of jane fonda grows up to live an amazing adventurous life and as an adult forgives her birth mother for not caring for her when she was a child. very inspirational!
May 22, 2013
This is a serious memoir. I was so happy to find that her life is interesting and powerful and inspiring. She is also really funny. Loved it!
May 22, 2013
Mary has led a truly extraordinary life worthy of a memoir. Not only is her life interesting but she is also a fantastic writer. I cried and laugh! Brava!
May 22, 2013
I read an ARC of this book and thought it was one of the best books I've read this year.
October 3, 2015
i want to give this a 3.5 . it seems like it has the components of a great, engrossing read but wasn't told well. the first chapter or two were actually confusing, and i almost felt as though i was sharing the authors desire to simply get them over with. tenses changed erratically. paragraphs required re-reading, partially just to make sure i wasn't the one imagining the lack of sense. i found a typo ('too' instead of 'to')and began to wonder about the author and publishing credentials
in fact, th0e entire first half of the book read like events were being listed, probably vastly contributing to the sense of emotional disengagement. i guess a reason this element didnt entirely disengross me was because of a vague sense of personally relating, or specifically not relating. there was one point, where she mentions her mother claiming she never did something that she obviously did, [and that her parent had done it, but she had not], that I could genuinelyhave taken from an identical encounter in my life Other parts made me FIERCELY miss my traveling adventures, and are compelling me to consider re-ensueing them; but I particularly thought it was a shame the way her sort of rags to riches experience wasnt emotionally exploited--it could have encapsulated the reader to no end--so i suppose i found that i liked this book the way i would like a very interesting person with interesting stories.
the other sort of amazing thign is that her writing skills extensively evolve over the lenght of the book, almost as if she wrote it in three different periods of her life {and i imagined she did} ; for the longest time she is writing in what are practically sentence fragments. then for a while, she is sort of word-dropping. finally, she is writing fluidly and even with some truly beautiful clauses--although you can tell she was specifically aware and proud of them as she wrote. hell, i almost felt proud of her and them myself!
in fact, th0e entire first half of the book read like events were being listed, probably vastly contributing to the sense of emotional disengagement. i guess a reason this element didnt entirely disengross me was because of a vague sense of personally relating, or specifically not relating. there was one point, where she mentions her mother claiming she never did something that she obviously did, [and that her parent had done it, but she had not], that I could genuinelyhave taken from an identical encounter in my life Other parts made me FIERCELY miss my traveling adventures, and are compelling me to consider re-ensueing them; but I particularly thought it was a shame the way her sort of rags to riches experience wasnt emotionally exploited--it could have encapsulated the reader to no end--so i suppose i found that i liked this book the way i would like a very interesting person with interesting stories.
the other sort of amazing thign is that her writing skills extensively evolve over the lenght of the book, almost as if she wrote it in three different periods of her life {and i imagined she did} ; for the longest time she is writing in what are practically sentence fragments. then for a while, she is sort of word-dropping. finally, she is writing fluidly and even with some truly beautiful clauses--although you can tell she was specifically aware and proud of them as she wrote. hell, i almost felt proud of her and them myself!
May 15, 2013
a *3.5* an okay memoir. Mary Williams is the adopted daughter of Jane Fonda. before she was adopted at 14 by Jane fonda. Mary lived with her family. a mother, a dad who was only there part of the time because he was in jail for many years. and five siblings. four older sisters and one younger brother. her life was a rough one with her dad in jail her mom trying to raise six kids alone. she lived in a tough neighborhood. watched some of her sisters go down a bad path with drugs the oldest sister became a prostitute as a teenager. Mary found a reprieve when she got to go to summer camp run By Jane Fonda and her them Husband Tom Hayden. Mary loved getting that summer at this camp. by the time she was 14 she came on rougher times, her mother drank and Mary was brutally raped by a man who lured her to his apartment with the promise of an acting career. Jane noticed the change in Mary at summer camp and took her in. she raised from then on. Mary got to be raised by a family that loved her including Ted Turner Jane's third husband. mary went on to college and spent time in Africa working for a year. traveling on a hike in the Appalachian trail. Mary finally connected with her birth family just recently after almost thirty years. Including her birth mother. a pretty interesting book.for the most part. I was glad she was given the chance to get out of the poverty and dangerous situation she lived in. she grew up to be a success including writing a book about the lost boys..
May 29, 2013
Jane Fonda's autobiography is unquestionably the best celebrity memoir ever written. I happened to see it on the audiobook shelf at the library one day and thought, I'll listen to a CD or two, and quit if it's silly (it's a long book). It was so good that I recommended it to my 70-something husband, who also loved it, and I highly recommend it to you, Dear Reader. Mary Williams, author of this book, is, as you know by now, Fonda's adopted daughter. Unlike Williams' childhood, Fonda's was financially secure, but both women had childhoods that were emotionally insecure and bereft of stability. The adults in their lives weren't there for them and I suspect, though it's never stated by either of them, that this adds to their deep, loving bond. Williams' book is well and thoughtfully written, but uneven. However, she has had great courage in setting challenging goals for herself. Her intelligence shines through. I rarely watched TV, but I've found a few videos online of interviews of Williams and Fonda, just because.
February 28, 2014
This was an interesting read about Jane Fonda's adopted African-American daughter, the daughter of Los Angeles Black Panthers. I didn't know about her before. I especially liked reading about Mary's adventures on the Appalachian Trail as a through hiker, and her stink in Antarctica.
July 4, 2014
Thanks, Dianne! I really enjoyed this book. Wow, what a life she had: coming from the Oakland ghettos and then moving on to volunteer in Africa and Antarctica. What a great success story. And a new side of Jane Fonda as well.
April 13, 2016
This book almost made me cry today as I finished it, riding the L on the way to work this morning. A beautiful story that ends with a journey of healing and rapprochement. Life is hard and ugly, and beautiful at times.
Just...read it.
Trigger warnings for sexual and domestic violence.
Just...read it.
Trigger warnings for sexual and domestic violence.
May 22, 2013
I loved this book. It was interesting and very well written. At times it was sad but there were also really funny moments. Very inspirational.
May 22, 2013
LOVE! LOVE!
May 22, 2013
My daughter gave me this book for mother's day. I really enjoyed this amazing story.
July 19, 2015
This is the autobiographical sketch of Mary Williams, the African- American adopted daughter of Jane Fonda. She tells of her life in Oakland as a young child and being raised by a single mother. She deals with the pressures of living in the inner city as she watches her older sisters make poor choices and observes as her mother slips in alcoholism. When she is brutally attacked at a tender age, her uncle helps her find a summer camp and she eventually meets Jane Fonda.
She becomes close to Jane and her children after Fonda takes her under her wing. She confides in Jane about the attack and a friendship is formed. She moves in with the Fondas and becomes privy to all of the celebrity of being attached to that family. As an African- American youth, she is exposed to the best schools and work assignments overseas in places like Morocco, Tanzania and Alaska.
She even takes a six- month hike on the Appalachian Trail and finally comes to the consensus that she needs to reconnect with her Oakland family and roots. Luckily for her, her mother and other sisters were still alive though her older sister had been murdered. She reconnects with her birth mother and other family members after three decades of separation. She, her mother and Jane Fonda do have a meeting as well.
This book was an interesting read because if Mary had not met the Fonda family, chances are she would not have been around to tell the story. But thankfully, she does find her way home again; even if for a second look and acknowledgement of her mother’s efforts to raise her children.
She becomes close to Jane and her children after Fonda takes her under her wing. She confides in Jane about the attack and a friendship is formed. She moves in with the Fondas and becomes privy to all of the celebrity of being attached to that family. As an African- American youth, she is exposed to the best schools and work assignments overseas in places like Morocco, Tanzania and Alaska.
She even takes a six- month hike on the Appalachian Trail and finally comes to the consensus that she needs to reconnect with her Oakland family and roots. Luckily for her, her mother and other sisters were still alive though her older sister had been murdered. She reconnects with her birth mother and other family members after three decades of separation. She, her mother and Jane Fonda do have a meeting as well.
This book was an interesting read because if Mary had not met the Fonda family, chances are she would not have been around to tell the story. But thankfully, she does find her way home again; even if for a second look and acknowledgement of her mother’s efforts to raise her children.
April 22, 2015
First of all I would like to say that generally speaking memoirs and biographies are not the type of book I usually read. I received this copy last year as a giveaway from Goodreads and it has been sitting on my shelf beckoning me to read it ever since.
The story of Mary Williams who was adopted by Jane Fonda at the age of 16 she tells of the hardships she endured in the first part of her growing up years in Oakland California and her later years living with Jane Fonda with a completely different kind of lifestyle.
Early in the book I found it interesting reading as Mary and I are exactly the same age, and I was reminiscing as I remembered similar games and thoughts, I even had the same experience with thrift store clothes until I was 12! This book is very eloquent and well written. I didn't find Mary was playing the "poor me" card but articulately and expressively writes about her experiences. I can feel her pain through her words at times and felt myself cheering her on or hoping things would work out. I enjoyed her traveling experiences, especially Antarctica as it seems to be such an odd and out of this world place. I loved the sense of humor in her writing and it made me smile many times. An enjoyable book I recommend reading it.
The story of Mary Williams who was adopted by Jane Fonda at the age of 16 she tells of the hardships she endured in the first part of her growing up years in Oakland California and her later years living with Jane Fonda with a completely different kind of lifestyle.
Early in the book I found it interesting reading as Mary and I are exactly the same age, and I was reminiscing as I remembered similar games and thoughts, I even had the same experience with thrift store clothes until I was 12! This book is very eloquent and well written. I didn't find Mary was playing the "poor me" card but articulately and expressively writes about her experiences. I can feel her pain through her words at times and felt myself cheering her on or hoping things would work out. I enjoyed her traveling experiences, especially Antarctica as it seems to be such an odd and out of this world place. I loved the sense of humor in her writing and it made me smile many times. An enjoyable book I recommend reading it.
July 30, 2014
Mary Williams role models were few and far between: her father was in prison, her older sister a teenage prostitute, and her hot-tempered mother struggled to raise six children alone. When Mary was thirteen, she was invited to spend a summer at Laurel Springs Children’s Camp, run by Jane Fonda and her then husband, Tom Hayden. Mary flourished at camp, and over the course of several summers, she confided in Fonda about her difficulties at home who then invited her to come live with her family. Mary left the streets of Oakland for the star-studded climes of Santa Monica. Jane Fonda was the parent Mary had never had—outside the limelight and Hollywood parties, a wonderful mom who helped with homework, listened to adolescent fears, celebrated achievements, and offered inspiration and encouragement. Mary’s life since has been one of adventure and opportunity—from hiking the Appalachian Trail solo, working with the Lost Boys of Sudan, and living in the frozen reaches of Antarctica. Her most courageous trip involved returning to Oakland and reconnecting with her biological mother and family, many of whom she hadn’t seen since the day she left home. A very good book, though at times seems self serving.
July 1, 2013
I had no idea what to expect from this book, and was unaware that Jane Fonda had an adopted daughter. The real-life story itself is so unusual that it already has a leg up on the many other my-childhood-was-the-worst-ever memoirs out there.
The writing is strong, introspective, seemingly honest. When she spoke about growing up in her household, and in the Panther school, the descriptions were so well done that I could place myself in that setting (well, just as a fly on the wall). Mary Williams herself seems to be a work in progress, and I hope she writes a Vol. 2 in another 40 years.
Must admit, I am fascinated by that ol' rascal Ted Turner, and it was cool to hear that she had a good relationship with him.
This is not a perfect memoir...with small details, such as: people are mentioned, and you never know what happened to them...and whazzup with her name change? But don't let these small details stop you from reading.
The writing is strong, introspective, seemingly honest. When she spoke about growing up in her household, and in the Panther school, the descriptions were so well done that I could place myself in that setting (well, just as a fly on the wall). Mary Williams herself seems to be a work in progress, and I hope she writes a Vol. 2 in another 40 years.
Must admit, I am fascinated by that ol' rascal Ted Turner, and it was cool to hear that she had a good relationship with him.
This is not a perfect memoir...with small details, such as: people are mentioned, and you never know what happened to them...and whazzup with her name change? But don't let these small details stop you from reading.
June 8, 2014
Mary Williams is an amazing person. Not an amazing writer, but her story is so compelling that you want to know more. Born into poverty on the very mean streets of Oakland, CA, she is rescued by Jane Fonda and finds happiness and a loving family so different from her birth family. She goes on some amazing adventures, walking the entire Appalachian Trail, living in Antarctica for a freezing season, etc., then circles back to her birth family and finds, if not complete happiness at least acceptance. Her story bogs down a bit after her amazing escape from the violence and fear of her childhood, but continue to read. The best is yet to come! My favorite line was when she was walking the Appalachia Trail and it was suggested that she carry a lighter weight pack with a thin sleeping bag that would mean she would be freezing cold every night for weeks. "Fuck that," she said.
September 20, 2013
I received this book as a gift and did not expect to like it because I thought it would be all about Jane Fonda. It wasn't and was actually pretty interesting. I related to Mary because she loved adventure and travel and I admired her for seeking it out. There are some areas that lacked proper explanation like how did Jane just take this kid with no questions asked? This was kind of glossed over. Did the mom sign some legal agreement, was there and official adoption? I also did not understand how she could not have any contact with her siblings over many years or the uncle that referred her to Jane's summer camp in the first place. It seems to me that if poor relations knew you were living with a famous actress they would want in on the action and be asking you for favors.
January 1, 2017
I'm a sucker for memoirs, and I'm a sucker for a good story. Combine the two, and I'm smitten.
Mary Williams life story feels like one that needs to be told. She has encountered almost everything the world has to offer - from the very good, to the extremely bad. A lot of the story takes place in my hometown of Oakland, CA, and she sheds light on experiences that I wouldn't wish on anybody.
While the promotion for the book may center on the fact that Jane Fonda becomes Mary's mother and support network, the story involves so many other aspects that it's unfair to paint the memoir in this way.
In any event, I'm glad Mary is brave enough to share some of the most intimate parts of her thoughts and life with the rest of us, however painful it is for her to relive.
December 12, 2013
I'm not one to read up on the lives of movie stars, so somehow I missed knowing that Jane Fonda had adopted the daughter of two Black Panthers. It's a really interesting story, and the daughter gives us all the facts, but somehow in her headlong flight from intimacy she manages to somewhat obscure the emotional content of the things that happened to her and the people she interacted with. Still a fascinating memoir from inside an abusive household, a movement captured by violence, a culture where no girl is safe, a rich and famous family, the professional do-good industry, the Appalachian Trail through-hikers, the Antarctic explorers. Hers is a life I couldn't have imagined.
September 15, 2013
Williams memoir tells of her life that begins in a very dysfunctional home to her invitation by Jane Fonda to live with her and her husband, Tom Hayden. Williams tells it all, the scars, her mistakes as well as the transition to a life of star studded adventure. Her life with Fonda gave her the opportunity to explore her passions, and she excels at taking those advantages in a positive order. In the last few years, she reconnected with her biological Mother and was able to listen to her Mother's side of life. She inspires to take advantage of the many positive experiences one can access to live the plus life.
September 21, 2013
The first 3/4 of this was really interesting to me. It is a very inspiring story about a woman who was given the opportunity to rise above the life she was born into (in a rough part of Oakland, CA). I was disappointed because she didn't seem to have much direction in her life. She just kind of floated from one thing to the next. She did a lot of good things with Jane Fonda's money though. I lost interest when she started swearing. I draw the line at the f-bomb so I don't know what the last 3/4 of the book is about.
May 24, 2014
A child of the Black Panther movement from a poor, dysfunctional African American family is adopted as a teen by Jane Fonda. It tells the story of her overcoming emotional difficulties and working in such diverse places as Africa, Antarctica and Alaska. It also shows a rare, close picture of a celebrity, Jane Fonda, who is a mother, very generous philanthropist and someone passionately involved with the much less fortunate in society. It also shows the importance of empowering females with education and supports, a very timely topic in the world at this time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews