Overview
Frank and Naomi Wolff were happily married in 1908. She was a Kansas farmgirl; he was a railroad engineer. She was excited to embark upon her role as wife and mother with a hardworking man, and in their early years together they made a life in thriving Ogden, Utah. Despite Frank's almost-constant absence for his job riding the rails, which left pretty Naomi to raise their children virtually alone, their romantic relationship begat fourteen offspring in eighteen years. Like other lower-middle-class women, Naomi's life was consumed with caring for her brood, who became helpers as soon as they could fold a diaper - and who, by and by, were required to attend the school of hard knocks as much as public schools. Affection and struggle endured within the family, crowded into a humble house. Despite the respite of occasional family train trips across the plains, the marriage ultimately faced exceptional challenges, just before the Depression era began. What scandals led Frank Wolff to abandon his younger children at an orphanage far from home? And why did his elder children keep this a secret for eighty years? Based on true family history, A Wolff in the Family is a gripping saga permeated with misogyny, prejudice, and passion ... for fans of Kristin Hannah's The Four Winds.
Reviews
"""A Wolff in the Family lives up to its name, following the Wolff family through the early years of the 20th century. But it's more than that--it's a saga of life in the West, complete with vivid descriptions of injustices toward women and children, interrupted educations, love, and loss, all told in the vernacular of the era. This well-crafted novel will break your heart, bring you joy, and make you grateful to be living in the 21st century."" --Susen Edwards, author of What a Trip and Lookin' for Love ""A Wolff in the Family absolutely made me feel curiosity, apprehension, relief, outrage, hope, compassion, and more. The book's cinematic storytelling, with vivid details about the characters, their habits, and their personalities, as well as the energetic pacing of events captivated me from the start. I could not put it down! The immersive descriptions of domestic life put me in the shoes of the Wolff women and girls, who, along with all the other family members, became real to me because of Falk-Allen's excellent character development."" --Ilze Duarte, PhD, writer and literary translator, recipient of the 2024 Sundial House Literary Translation Award ""A Wolff in the Family, historical fiction with a touch of memoir, belongs among the great multi-generational family sagas, such as The Forsyte Saga, East of Eden, and The Thorn Birds. Falk-Allen weaves a complex story of light and dark, of human failings compounded by the oppressive gender roles in traditional families. The characters come alive on the page, drawing you into a vivid world of yesterday."" --Jude Berman, author of The Die and The Vow ""A moving and evocative family saga, consummately constructed, and beautifully narrated. Francine Falk-Allen delivers a novel that is emotionally engaging and powerful--but at the same time relentless in its probing of gender inequality, and how its consequences have manifested across generations in America."" --Robert Steven Goldstein, author of the novels Will's Surreal Period, Enemy Queen, Cat's Whisker, and The Swami Deheftner ""An empathetic lesson in resilience and forgiveness, A Wolff in the Family takes an unflinching look at complex familial ties, gender roles, and the hardships of women in the early 20th century through one family's story across the United States. With the kind of drama that builds, this captivating book is a multifaceted tale with flawed and human characters and the complicated decisions that make a life."" --Joanne Howard, author of Sleeping in the Sun ""Heartbreaking at its core, A Wolff in the Family takes the bones of a long-hidden family secret and fleshes it out to include a large cast of characters who come alive on the page. Readers will despair with Naomi and her children as they navigate separate, but equal, hardships apart, with hope as their only beacon. Readers cannot help ask the questions: What skeletons are buried in my family lore? Do I dare uncover them? Kudos to Falk-Allen for taking this project on, making it both compelling and relatable, and shedding light into dark corners of family history. A bold and important read."" --Ashley E. Sweeney, author of Eliza Waite ""I was intrigued by the fascinating, well-drawn characters and plot twists in A Wolff in the Family. The author brings us into a time and a world she has researched well and portrays with historical accuracy. No spoilers here, but a surprise near the book's conclusion grabbed me. I recommend this novel for an enjoyable read that will likely keep you wondering what will happen next."" --Marcia Naomi Berger, author of The Bipolar Therapist: A Journey from Madness to Love and Meaning ""Women have always wanted agency over their own lives, and in this fascinating fictionalized account of her family history, Falk-Allen reminds us that such agency has not always come easily. With its universal themes of love, sacrifice, and freedom, A Wolff in the Family shows us how far we've come, even as we recognize and find resonance with the characters' deepest longings."" --Ginny Kubitz Moyer, author of The Seeing Garden"
"""A Wolff in the Family is immediately immersive, and readers will be drawn into the hardships and small joys of the Wolff family. Falk-Allen's vivid prose and realistic characters tell an intriguing story about social norms, gender roles, and ultimately, love. Fast and absorbing, it will keep you up long into the night.""--Michelle Cox, author of The Fallen Woman's Daughter and the Inspector Howard series ""A moving and evocative family saga, consummately constructed, and beautifully narrated. Francine Falk-Allen delivers a novel that is emotionally engaging and powerful--but at the same time relentless in its probing of gender inequality, and how its consequences have manifested across generations in America."" --Robert Steven Goldstein, author of the novels Will's Surreal Period, Enemy Queen, Cat's Whisker, and The Swami Deheftner ""Writing a novel based on a family story requires an author to choreograph what is known and what must be surmised into a compelling narrative. Francine Falk-Allen has skillfully accomplished this saga-to-novel rebirth in A Wolff in the Family. The hard-scrabble life, children and marriage of Naomi Wolff vividly recall a world of societal rules, privation, race and class restrictions, and the human spirit that can prevail over all of them. Another great read from this author!""--Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of Even in Darkness and Hard Cider ""A Wolff in the Family lives up to its name, following the Wolff family through the early years of the 20th century. But it's more than that--it's a saga of life in the West, complete with vivid descriptions of injustices toward women and children, interrupted educations, love, and loss, all told in the vernacular of the era. This well-crafted novel will break your heart, bring you joy, and make you grateful to be living in the 21st century.""--Susen Edwards, author of What a Trip and Lookin' for Love ""A Wolff in the Family absolutely made me feel curiosity, apprehension, relief, outrage, hope, compassion, and more. The book's cinematic storytelling, with vivid details about the characters, their habits, and their personalities, as well as the energetic pacing of events captivated me from the start. I could not put it down! The immersive descriptions of domestic life put me in the shoes of the Wolff women and girls, who, along with all the other family members, became real to me because of Falk-Allen's excellent character development.""--Ilze Duarte, PhD, writer and literary translator, recipient of the 2024 Sundial House Literary Translation Award ""A Wolff in the Family, historical fiction with a touch of memoir, belongs among the great multi-generational family sagas, such as The Forsyte Saga, East of Eden, and The Thorn Birds. Falk-Allen weaves a complex story of light and dark, of human failings compounded by the oppressive gender roles in traditional families. The characters come alive on the page, drawing you into a vivid world of yesterday.""--Jude Berman, author of The Die and The Vow ""An empathetic lesson in resilience and forgiveness, A Wolff in the Family takes an unflinching look at complex familial ties, gender roles, and the hardships of women in the early 20th century through one family's story across the United States. With the kind of drama that builds, this captivating book is a multifaceted tale with flawed and human characters and the complicated decisions that make a life.""--Joanne Howard, author of Sleeping in the Sun ""Heartbreaking at its core, A Wolff in the Family takes the bones of a long-hidden family secret and fleshes it out to include a large cast of characters who come alive on the page. Readers will despair with Naomi and her children as they navigate separate, but equal, hardships apart, with hope as their only beacon. Readers cannot help ask the questions: What skeletons are buried in my family lore? Do I dare uncover them? Kudos to Falk-Allen for taking this project on, making it both compelling and relatable, and shedding light into dark corners of family history. A bold and important read.""--Ashley E. Sweeney, author of Eliza Waite ""I was intrigued by the fascinating, well-drawn characters and plot twists in A Wolff in the Family. The author brings us into a time and a world she has researched well and portrays with historical accuracy. No spoilers here, but a surprise near the book's conclusion grabbed me. I recommend this novel for an enjoyable read that will likely keep you wondering what will happen next.""--Marcia Naomi Berger, author of The Bipolar Therapist: A Journey from Madness to Love and Meaning ""Women have always wanted agency over their own lives, and in this fascinating fictionalized account of her family history, Falk-Allen reminds us that such agency has not always come easily. With its universal themes of love, sacrifice, and freedom, A Wolff in the Family shows us how far we've come, even as we recognize and find resonance with the characters' deepest longings.""--Ginny Kubitz Moyer, author of The Seeing Garden"
"""A moving and evocative family saga, consummately constructed, and beautifully narrated. Francine Falk-Allen delivers a novel that is emotionally engaging and powerful--but at the same time relentless in its probing of gender inequality, and how its consequences have manifested across generations in America."" --Robert Steven Goldstein, author of the novels Will's Surreal Period, Enemy Queen, Cat's Whisker, and The Swami Deheftner ""Writing a novel based on a family story requires an author to choreograph what is known and what must be surmised into a compelling narrative. Francine Falk-Allen has skillfully accomplished this saga-to-novel rebirth in A Wolff in the Family. The hard-scrabble life, children and marriage of Naomi Wolff vividly recall a world of societal rules, privation, race and class restrictions, and the human spirit that can prevail over all of them. Another great read from this author!""--Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of Even in Darkness and Hard Cider ""A Wolff in the Family lives up to its name, following the Wolff family through the early years of the 20th century. But it's more than that--it's a saga of life in the West, complete with vivid descriptions of injustices toward women and children, interrupted educations, love, and loss, all told in the vernacular of the era. This well-crafted novel will break your heart, bring you joy, and make you grateful to be living in the 21st century.""--Susen Edwards, author of What a Trip and Lookin' for Love ""A Wolff in the Family absolutely made me feel curiosity, apprehension, relief, outrage, hope, compassion, and more. The book's cinematic storytelling, with vivid details about the characters, their habits, and their personalities, as well as the energetic pacing of events captivated me from the start. I could not put it down! The immersive descriptions of domestic life put me in the shoes of the Wolff women and girls, who, along with all the other family members, became real to me because of Falk-Allen's excellent character development.""--Ilze Duarte, PhD, writer and literary translator, recipient of the 2024 Sundial House Literary Translation Award ""A Wolff in the Family, historical fiction with a touch of memoir, belongs among the great multi-generational family sagas, such as The Forsyte Saga, East of Eden, and The Thorn Birds. Falk-Allen weaves a complex story of light and dark, of human failings compounded by the oppressive gender roles in traditional families. The characters come alive on the page, drawing you into a vivid world of yesterday.""--Jude Berman, author of The Die and The Vow ""An empathetic lesson in resilience and forgiveness, A Wolff in the Family takes an unflinching look at complex familial ties, gender roles, and the hardships of women in the early 20th century through one family's story across the United States. With the kind of drama that builds, this captivating book is a multifaceted tale with flawed and human characters and the complicated decisions that make a life.""--Joanne Howard, author of Sleeping in the Sun ""Heartbreaking at its core, A Wolff in the Family takes the bones of a long-hidden family secret and fleshes it out to include a large cast of characters who come alive on the page. Readers will despair with Naomi and her children as they navigate separate, but equal, hardships apart, with hope as their only beacon. Readers cannot help ask the questions: What skeletons are buried in my family lore? Do I dare uncover them? Kudos to Falk-Allen for taking this project on, making it both compelling and relatable, and shedding light into dark corners of family history. A bold and important read.""--Ashley E. Sweeney, author of Eliza Waite ""I was intrigued by the fascinating, well-drawn characters and plot twists in A Wolff in the Family. The author brings us into a time and a world she has researched well and portrays with historical accuracy. No spoilers here, but a surprise near the book's conclusion grabbed me. I recommend this novel for an enjoyable read that will likely keep you wondering what will happen next.""--Marcia Naomi Berger, author of The Bipolar Therapist: A Journey from Madness to Love and Meaning ""Women have always wanted agency over their own lives, and in this fascinating fictionalized account of her family history, Falk-Allen reminds us that such agency has not always come easily. With its universal themes of love, sacrifice, and freedom, A Wolff in the Family shows us how far we've come, even as we recognize and find resonance with the characters' deepest longings.""--Ginny Kubitz Moyer, author of The Seeing Garden"
"""A Wolff in the Family lives up to its name, following the Wolff family through the early years of the 20th century. But it's more than that--it's a saga of life in the West, complete with vivid descriptions of injustices toward women and children, interrupted educations, love, and loss, all told in the vernacular of the era. This well-crafted novel will break your heart, bring you joy, and make you grateful to be living in the 21st century.""--Susen Edwards, author of What a Trip and Lookin' for Love ""A Wolff in the Family absolutely made me feel curiosity, apprehension, relief, outrage, hope, compassion, and more. The book's cinematic storytelling, with vivid details about the characters, their habits, and their personalities, as well as the energetic pacing of events captivated me from the start. I could not put it down! The immersive descriptions of domestic life put me in the shoes of the Wolff women and girls, who, along with all the other family members, became real to me because of Falk-Allen's excellent character development.""--Ilze Duarte, PhD, writer and literary translator, recipient of the 2024 Sundial House Literary Translation Award ""A Wolff in the Family, historical fiction with a touch of memoir, belongs among the great multi-generational family sagas, such as The Forsyte Saga, East of Eden, and The Thorn Birds. Falk-Allen weaves a complex story of light and dark, of human failings compounded by the oppressive gender roles in traditional families. The characters come alive on the page, drawing you into a vivid world of yesterday.""--Jude Berman, author of The Die and The Vow ""An empathetic lesson in resilience and forgiveness, A Wolff in the Family takes an unflinching look at complex familial ties, gender roles, and the hardships of women in the early 20th century through one family's story across the United States. With the kind of drama that builds, this captivating book is a multifaceted tale with flawed and human characters and the complicated decisions that make a life.""--Joanne Howard, author of Sleeping in the Sun ""Heartbreaking at its core, A Wolff in the Family takes the bones of a long-hidden family secret and fleshes it out to include a large cast of characters who come alive on the page. Readers will despair with Naomi and her children as they navigate separate, but equal, hardships apart, with hope as their only beacon. Readers cannot help ask the questions: What skeletons are buried in my family lore? Do I dare uncover them? Kudos to Falk-Allen for taking this project on, making it both compelling and relatable, and shedding light into dark corners of family history. A bold and important read.""--Ashley E. Sweeney, author of Eliza Waite ""I was intrigued by the fascinating, well-drawn characters and plot twists in A Wolff in the Family. The author brings us into a time and a world she has researched well and portrays with historical accuracy. No spoilers here, but a surprise near the book's conclusion grabbed me. I recommend this novel for an enjoyable read that will likely keep you wondering what will happen next.""--Marcia Naomi Berger, author of The Bipolar Therapist: A Journey from Madness to Love and Meaning ""Women have always wanted agency over their own lives, and in this fascinating fictionalized account of her family history, Falk-Allen reminds us that such agency has not always come easily. With its universal themes of love, sacrifice, and freedom, A Wolff in the Family shows us how far we've come, even as we recognize and find resonance with the characters' deepest longings.""--Ginny Kubitz Moyer, author of The Seeing Garden ""A moving and evocative family saga, consummately constructed, and beautifully narrated. Francine Falk-Allen delivers a novel that is emotionally engaging and powerful--but at the same time relentless in its probing of gender inequality, and how its consequences have manifested across generations in America."" --Robert Steven Goldstein, author of the novels Will's Surreal Period, Enemy Queen, Cat's Whisker, and The Swami Deheftner"
Author Information
Francine Falk-Allen was born in Los Angeles and has lived nearly all of her life in northern California. As a former art major who got a BA in managerial accounting and ran her own business for thirty-three years, she has always craved creative outlets. Over the years, this has taken the form of singing and recording with various groups, painting, and writing songs, poetry, and essays, some of which have been published. Falk-Allen facilitates a polio survivors' group in Marin County, and also a Meetup writing group, Just Write Marin County. She was the polio representative interviewed in a PBS/Nobel Prize Media film, The War Against Microbes. Falk-Allen resides in Marin County with her husband, Richard Falk. She loves mystery, and historical novels, and captivating biography and memoir, movies, music, pool exercise, the outdoors, travel, hanging out with good friends, lots of British tea, and a little champagne now and then.
