Award-winning journalist and host of Black "Enterprise" Business
Report Caroline Clarke's moving memoir of her surprise discovery of her
birthmother--Cookie Cole, the daughter of Nat King Cole--and the
relationship that blossomed between them through the heartfelt messages
they exchanged on hundreds of postcards.
Caroline Clarke was born in an era when adoptions were shameful, secret,
and sealed. While she wondered about her biological parents, she kept
her curiosity in check, until a series of small health problems raised
concerns about her genetic heritage and its consequences for her two
children's lives and her own.
Though Spence-Chapin Family Service, the agency that handled her
adoption, could not reveal the name of her birth mother, it was able to
provide details that lead to a shocking truth. Caroline's birth mother
and her family were related to a friend. The woman who gave her life was
none other than Carole "Cookie" Cole, the daughter of iconic crooner and
pianist Nat King Cole.
Drawing on details provided by the agency and her own investigative
skills, Caroline embarked on a life-changing journey of discovery that
stretched from coast to coast, forged through e-mail, phone calls, and
post cards. The constancy, volume, and intimacy of her steady
correspondence with Cookie filled the days and distance between them.
Through brief yet poignant messages squeezed onto three-inch open-faced
squares, mother and daughter revealed themselves, sharing secrets,
taking risks, and ultimately building a bond like no other.
A heartfelt, inspiring tribute to both Caroline's adoptive parents and
her biological mother, Postcards from Cookie illuminates the enduring
power of love to shape and guide our lives.
