Family estrangement is far more common than most people realize—nearly 30% of American adults are disconnected from at least one relative. In her moving and insightful book Across The Kitchen Table, acclaimed author Carla Seaquist confronts this often-unspoken reality with honesty, depth, and emotional resonance.
Seaquist’s book is a powerful blend of personal memoir and universal reflection, centered on the complexities of a strained mother-daughter relationship impacted by grief and misunderstanding. Through the lens of her own life, she explores the delicate threads that hold families together—and the sorrow that follows when those threads begin to fray.
More than a simple recounting of events, Across The Kitchen Table serves as a poignant meditation on the nature of familial bonds and the psychological weight of separation. Seaquist recounts the devastating loss of her daughter and the emotional ripple effect it had on her family. With courage and raw honesty, she brings readers into her world of heartbreak, confusion, and the gradual path to healing.
A seasoned playwright, essayist, and author, Carla Seaquist is widely recognized for her ability to address complex social and cultural issues with nuance and empathy. Her award-winning plays—including Who Cares? and Looking for Atticus—along with her essays on topics ranging from politics to personal transformation, reveal a consistent commitment to meaningful dialogue and human connection.
In Across The Kitchen Table, Seaquist uses her narrative talent to illuminate a topic many shy away from. Her prose provides not just insight but solace, offering a voice to those who suffer in silence from fractured relationships. Through storytelling that is both intimate and accessible, she invites readers to examine their own family ties, confront buried pain, and consider the possibilities of reconciliation.
This book is essential not only for those who have experienced estrangement but for anyone who cherishes family, wrestles with interpersonal conflict, or seeks deeper understanding in their relationships. Seaquist’s message is one of compassion and courage—a call to speak the unspeakable, to reach across divides, and to begin the work of mending what is broken.
Watch the book trailer: https://youtu.be/lmyVYfJKPsw