But evasion is not the only tactic that authors have employed while sifting through their family histories. October is Family History Month in various parts of the world and thus the right time to dig into what books can reveal or conceal about the origins of their creators. In The Gene — what he calls an “intimate history” — Mukherjee brilliantly entwines empirical scientific inquiry with an empathetic exploration of the fallible people who shaped his life. If Mukherjee uses scientific logic to cope with the madness in his family and Pinto achieves catharsis by pouring his heart out, Durrell resorts to copious amounts of humour. After all, what better way to document family history than to explore the house where it all unfolds?

Source: The Telegraph October 11, 2019 12:11 UTC