Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity

Andrew Solomon examines the relationship between parents and children who possess "horizontal identities"—traits such as deafness, dwarfism, Down syndrome, autism, or schizophrenia that are not shared by their progenitors. Through hundreds of interviews, Solomon documents how families navigate the tension between seeking a medical cure and accepting a distinct cultural identity. He distinguishes between "vertical identities," which are passed down through DNA or cultural heritage, and those differences that force parents to bridge a vast psychological gap to reach a child who is fundamentally unlike them.

This book serves parents, social workers, and advocates who interact with disability and neurodivergence. Readers gain a framework for understanding how perceived deficits can be reclaimed as diverse human variations. By looking at the experiences of families dealing with incarceration or atypical gender identities, the reader learns how the act of parenting can shift from a process of replication to one of profound adaptation. It provides a historical and sociological look at how society defines normalcy and how individuals forge a sense of belonging in the face of alienation.