The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman

Lena made the awful boat trip from Germany to the United States for a better life for her family and especially her daughter.

When she arrived, she realized it wasn’t that much better.

She arrived in the 1930’s during a time when eugenics was a prime topic, and her brother who couldn’t speak English was sent back because they said he was feeble minded.

Her sponsor who is a distant cousin  lived in the mountains in West Virginia with two children who always had to hide when the authorities arrived.

A social worker arrived one day and accused Lena of being promiscuous because she is living with her cousin and says that she is an unfit mother to her daughter.

The unthinkable happens and Lena‘s worst nightmare comes true.

THE LIES THEY TOLD is heartbreaking and upsetting and a piece of history that I really wasn’t aware of how widespread it was and how other countries adopted this. 

An excellent read and history lesson.  5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.