Marilyn Peterson Haus’ story begins when she was born in 1941 on a farm on the Minnesota Plains. Twins, mental illness, sexism/favoritism, religion, farm life in the 40s and 50s, forgiveness and reconciliation are all topics she meticulously weaves together in this extraordinary memoir.
While we touched upon all of that in our interview, what struck me hardest was the struggle she faced with her twin brother. This hit home for me as, like Marilyn, I have a twin brother and our relationship was also strained by favoritism and mental illness, though to a much lesser extent.
While her memoir has elements of tragedy, at the end of the day it is a story about a woman who found the courage and strength to break free and live life on her own terms. Half of a Whole, My Fight for a Separate Life is inspiring, uplifting, and available for sale wherever books are sold on June 8th.
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