A Princess Found: An American Family, an African Chiefdom, and the Daughter Who Connected Them All

by Sarah Culberson, Tracy Trivas

Sarah Culberson was adopted one year after her birth by a loving, white, West Virginian couple and was raised in the United States with little knowledge of her ancestry. Though raised in a loving family, Sarah wanted to know more about the birth parents that had given her up. In 2004, she hired a private investigator to track down her biological father. When she began her search, she never imagined what she would discover or where that information would lead she was related to African royalty, a ruling Mende family in Sierra Leone and that she is considered a mahaloi, the child of a Paramount Chief, with the status like a princess. What followed was an unforgettably emotional journey of discovery of herself, a father she never knew, and the spirit of a war-torn nation. A Princess Found is a powerful, intimate revelation of her quest across the world to learn of the chiefdom she could one day call her own.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Adoption, Biography, Biography Memoir, Adult, Inspirational

368 pages, Hardcover

First published July 7, 2009

Reviews

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Culberson was a biracial baby whose university student parents gave her up for adoption. Her mother was a white American and her father was a black from Sierra Leone. Adopted by a white family, she was raised in a predominantly white West Virginia town and always felt like she really didn't know who she was. After graduating from West Virginia University and then getting a masters at a performing arts academy in southern California, Sarah received a call from someone in her birth mother's family which gave her the first connection to her biological parents. Then she decided to see if she could find her biological father which led to his brother and finally to him. But he had gone back to Sierra Leon.

The format used for this book was quite interesting as Culberson follows her father during the revolution in Sierra Leone and; in turn, follows her life during late high school, college, and acting school. Then she follows her trip to Sierra Leone to meet him. Where it turns out he is a chief in his village and she is a princess. Her amazing descriptions of the horrors of the revolution as well as the poverty and lack of development in Sierra Leone was heartbreaking and made me realize how blessed we are in the United States. Her dedication and hard work in founding the Kpsowa Foundation (named after her African family name) here in the US to help both her father's village as well as Sierra Leone as a whole was inspirational. This book was written in 2009 and already much progress had been made in restoring the village and surrounding area. The project has been renamed as Sierra Leone Rising and can be found at https://www.sierraleonerising.org where you can read about their completed projects as well as those in progress.

This was an incredibly interesting book to read, and I am not usually a non-fiction reader. It will certainly touch your heart and cause you to appreciate each and every thing we take for granted.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021 Book Hoarders Challenge #13--Royalty
The true story of a biracial girl from Morgantown, WV, who wanted to discover her birth parents. With the assistance of her adopted white parents, a university professor and public school teacher, she discovers her mother had already passed away but her father was from Sierra Leone and a minor chiefton. Sarah and her parents traveled and were welcomed by her father and his village. Now Sarah, using her status as an actress and dancer, and her parents have started charities and placed their own sweat equity into providing for the basic needs of the village and in educating the children.

I loved the ease of the writing, drawing you into the story easily. In addition, I liked learning what was happening in Bumpe during important things happening to Sarah in her small university community. Providing this information, side by side, brought the differences to the forefront and showed the character of her birth father.

Sarah's story and her philantropy have been the features on many national news stations and in print.

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating true story about a young woman who was adopted and raised in West Virginia and found her birth father in Sierra Leone in her late 20s. It tells her story as well as the very disturbing story of the Sierra Leone civil war.

[Liralen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much like King Peggy, this is one where the execution didn't live up to the premise.

Culberson knew she was adopted; she knew her biological parents were a woman from the U.S. and a man from Sierra Leone. She had a happy childhood and was moving into a successful adulthood when she decided she wanted to know more about her roots -- and what she found surprised her.

Interlaced with Culberson's tale is that of her biological father, back in Sierra Leone, during the war. The timeline of his story isn't clear, but this much is: he was an educated man, respected, with deep cultural and ancestral ties. That couldn't protect him -- or his family -- from the ravages of civil war.

Unfortunately the writing never takes this past mediocre. Too much focus on the obvious; too much pulling back from potentially interesting questions and subjects (what was the grandmother's story?); not enough characterisation all round. The title and subtitle don't help, honestly; they make big promises that the book doesn't deliver. I would have loved to know more about what it meant to be a mahaloi -- not just now (when, in practice, it looks like it doesn't mean all that much) but also historically, when Sierra Leone was in better shape.

I'm not knocking Culberson or her story here -- but the telling of it pretty clearly doesn't do it justice. I have to think it would be much more interesting to hear her speak.

[Jamie N · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost gave this book two stars for reasons I will address below, but the redeeming quality that earned it another star is that Sarah's story really is amazing. I really enjoyed the parts about Sierra Leone and her birth father's experiences during the civil war - very enlightening. And the way Sarah and her friends and community came together to raise funds for the school in Bumpe is also inspiring.

But the book is not well written. Almost painfully so at times. Sappy, overly sentimental and often repetitive. The dialogue made me squirm. The portrayals of many of the people in her life are one-dimensional. And I'm not usually a grammar watchdog, but an editor somewhere should lose their job over the comma errors in this book.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and learned a little bit more about the aftermath of the war of Sierra Leon. I think the comments about the language of this book is a fair assessment. There is something simplistic in the way that it’s written that doesn’t seem to match the serious themes that this book touches upon. Like the way it’s narrated seems to gloss over certain aspects of this book that need a more careful focus and analysis. There is something about this that feels like if this was written today, perhaps the tone and way it’s told would be different? Despite this, Sarah’s story is extraordinary and I appreciated how the book juxtaposes her life in America with what was happening to her family in Sierra Leon. Recommend. Worth the read.

[Pankachu102 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up biracial in a white household, Sarah Culberson knew she was adopted, but was surprised to find that in finding her birth parents she unlocked an additional large family and new responsibilities.

A good and easy read. Chapters are quite short and can make it easier for non-readers to get into.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars rounded up. I’m always drawn to stories about adoption, and this memoir takes us back and forth between Sarah’s life and her biological father’s life. I feel like it skimmed the surface, rather than diving deep into the issues and emotions at hand. Still, an interesting read.

[Laura Weldon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simply told, captivating, and emotionally rich story.

[Leah Rehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an interesting and powerful story! I wish it was longer

[Casertalaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing story!

[Kassidy Arena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so sad at times, but really interesting to read about someone else’s life. At times I felt like the writing was not as powerful as it could have been. The story was interesting, but the writing could have been better. Repetitive at times.

[Jennifer Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early this year Princess Sarah Culbertson spoke at a conference I attended for work. She is so inspiring and I loved reading more about her journey!

[David Gaetke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing story! Well written with a lot of surprising historical context. Personal and heartwarming.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a moving story of an adopted biracial woman and her search for her birth family. Sarah Culberson was adopted at 1yr old and never knew the circumstances surrounding her birth parents giving her up. She's always felt that she needed to excel at everything to be considered worthy of love and acceptance from her family, her peers, her coaches and teachers. Her white adoptive family has always been extremely supportive and loving. When she reaches majority, she decides to try to find her birth mother and that family is very welcoming. She delays trying to find her father because she feels both angry that he abandoned her and scared that he might not want to hear from her. I like the way the first part of the story was told in alternating chapters about what was going on with Sarah as a teen and young adult in the U.S. in the mid 1990s on and the constant danger her father Joe Konia Kposowa and his family face during Sierra Leone's brutal civil war during that same time period. Once father and daughter have made contact the pace of the book changes which is both appropriate to what is happening but also, in some ways, not as exciting. I learned so much about the people of Sierra Leone, their customs and their daily struggle for survival since the war ended. This would be a good book to pair with Ishmael Beah’s War Child.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Culberson was adopted as a young child. She is biracial, while her adoptive family is Caucasian. This is her fascinating story of identity and the search for her biological parents. It is also the story of her biological father’s struggle in war-torn Sierra Leone. For most of the book, chapters alternate between what is happening in Sierra Leone and what is happening in Sarah’s life in the United States. The stories merge once Sarah finds parts of her biological family. The narrative style makes it an easy read for anyone interested in adoption stories or in learning more about Sierra Leone.

[Bernadette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adopted at 1 year of age, the author tells of her search for her birthparents and her emotional growth as a result. Culberson is honest and forthright about her feelings for her biological parents, a white mother from West Virginia and black father from Sierra Leone. I enjoyed the short chapters which switched back and forth to Culberson in America and what was happening with her father in Sierra Leone during the devastating civil war in the mid-90s. The contrast between cultures and economies becomes very real when she visits Sierra Leone for the first time. Her book reads like a novel but is even more enjoyable because it is her true story. Highly recommended

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of an adopted child who discovers her father is part of an African chiefdom, making her a princess. Although this is every girls dream, its not as rosy as one would think. Sarah's father has survived the brutal civil war of Sierra Leone and there is still a lot of building to do. Sarah takes a long time deciding whether or not she wants to find her birth parents because she fears rejection, so the book is written in alternating chapters detailing Sarah’s life and her father’s life in Sierra Leone. It is really well done and my only reservation about recommending the book is the graphic descriptions of what happened in Sierra Leone.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way this narrative was structured, with the perspectives alternating from Sarah's first person perspective to the third person review of her father's experiences. The only thing I found distracting was the random mention of boyfriends and the somewhat cheesy title, but overall, this retelling of her story was inspiring and encouraging. I felt like it offered a perspective into historically important moment in the horrible history of Africa, and yet is also provided a glimpse of hope through this personal narrative and this person who has determined to make a difference. I will probably try to incorporate this reading into my classroom at some point.

[Rachel Choate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting story of an adopted child finding her biological parents and also of an African-American girl discovering her heritage. I liked the way Sarah wove her father's story into her own as she was growing up and then searching for him. She deals with very tough issues in the book: how identity is formed, the role of wealthy nations in response to the third world, and nature vs. nurture. It was a fascinating read and I particularly enjoyed following her journey as she unpacks and continues to figure out her emotions regarding both her adopted and biological families/countries.

[Amy]

The author had a pretty cool story to tell about her life. In a nutshell, the author of the book had been adopted as a baby and was now in search for her biological parents. While searching, she comes across a peculiar surprise.

I was a little turned off by her biological father. He didn't really seem to take responsibility when he found out that his girlfriend was pregnant. He continued to live his life, while she dealt with the consequences.

[Damaris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, a true story about an American girl who searches for her birth parents. It is not the best written book I have read, but it was a very enjoyable read, heartwarming and disturbing, with interesting information that I did not recall about Sierra Leone's civil war. Since our trip to Africa, I find anything African of interest. I do recommend this for people who enjoy autobiographies.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah demonstrates that the misgivings we have about our roots disappear when we explore them. I am so grateful that she tells her story in a way that dignifies the birth and belonging decisions made by her family. Her stand that being fully self expressed comes only when those around you are lit up and turned on is true inspiration to me. Tracy Trivas, her co-author, has "diamonds on the souls of her shoes" She writes the story with beauty and economy. Well worth a Saturday afternoon!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was simply amazing! I loved the format of this book. The author relates her as a young women setting off for college wondering about her biological parents and alternates with her birth father's struggles during the civil unrest in Sierra Leone...then their eventual (and event filled!)reunion. LOVED IT!!

[Reen slagowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah, adopted at 1 yrs old finds her adoptive parents and finds out she is a princess. Very interesting quest and look into the lives of the people of Sierra Leone at the time of Civil War. The lifestyle and humility of the people and their gratefulness at finding a lost child. I enjoyed every minute of the book.

[Kelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a biracial girl who is adopted by white parents. She searches for her birth parents finding that her father is from Sierra Leone. She eventually reaches out to him and travels to Africa. It was interesting to see how she struggled to fit into either the "white" or "black" world but that finding her father helped her to feel more at ease with herself.

[Norma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about the author's life in America and her biological father's experiences during the horrific civil war in Sierra Leone. Looking forward to the book discussion and the telephone talk with the author later this month.

[Carol Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating nonfiction book about an African American girl who was adopted by a white couple one year after her birth. I found the chapters that alternated between her life in the U.S. with the terror in Sierra Leone, which was experienced by her birth father, to be very compelling.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah's transracial adoption story is amazing, and the book is in an easy-to-read format with short soundbyte chapters. There were a few "aha" moments for me that were worth bookmarking. She is candid and honest about her emotional journey which I appreciated.

[Lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned more about African families and acceptance. Sarah's search for self had an unusually happy ending.