logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
25m 40s

Ep: 1726 Gail Lukasik

KATHRYN ZOX
About this episode

Kathryn also interviews Author Gail Lukasik.Blending social history and personal narratives, Gail Lukasik delves into the devastating psychological trauma of uncovering a hidden family secret with all the twists and turns of a mystery novel, starting with how the discovery was made; to why it was kept secret; to the arduous, sometimes disappointing, quest to find a biological parent or parents. To fully understand the secrecy surrounding these family secrets, the book examines pre-WWII and post-WWII attitudes toward infertility, adoption, donor conception, race and racial passing, and unmarried pregnant women. Prefacing these harrowing narratives is the author's own confusing and sometimes painful journey to redefine her racial identity under the spotlight of public opinion. She is a contributor at the Washington Post. She has also appeared on PBS's Genealogy Roadshow, BBC World News, and NBC's Megyn Kelly Today.

Up next
Nov 19
Ep: 1807 Ea Fuqua and Meg DeLong - Tidying Up
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span id= "docs-internal-guid-065cbc28-7fff-3927-acee-b6bfd04910dd" style= "font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; ver ... Show More
56m 1s
Nov 12
Ep: 1806 Chris Gillett - The Headshot Mistake
Former successful trial attorney and one of Houston's most elite sought-after professional photographers, Chris Gillett exposes how a poorly crafted headshot can silently sabotage your professional image. He explains that first impressions often hinge on subtle cues—like posture, ... Show More
27m 11s
Nov 12
Ep: 1805 Hunter Stoler - Eat Better, Spend Less
Featured on Fox & Friends for his viral healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte dupe, Hunter Stoler—a viral TikTok and Instagram creator—has captured national attention after losing over 50 pounds and slashing $11,000 a year from his grocery bill. Now, he's sharing exactly how he did it—and ... Show More
25m 5s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2025
Special Episode: Wendy Chin-Tanner & King of the Armadillos
We’ve got a very special episode of the TPWKY book club this week! We’re featuring our very first fiction book: King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner. This novel tells the story of a young man named Victor, who is sent from his home in New York City to a federal treatment f ... Show More
56m 21s
Aug 2024
064 The Plotter Series S2 E4: Plotters Bully A Mother And Her Children
A mother who healed from Lyme disease and has been utilizing Medical Medium information for years is interviewed to discuss her experiences as someone who was close friends with Stephanie Tisone and has had many interactions with the plotters. Kimberly Spair was physically presen ... Show More
1h 39m
Oct 2024
Why Our Current News Media is in the Toilet & How the Legendary Connie Chung Changed Media
LEGENDARY Journalist Connie Chung Shattered the Chains of her Cultural Traditions and Navigated the News Waters in a Sea of Men.   Now she's opening up about being sexually abused by her doctor as a teenager, her deep desire to be "one of the guys", and why she thinks current new ... Show More
1h 27m
Apr 2024
Disappearing Acts: Anastasia Romanov
Anastasia Romanov (1901-1918) was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia. Her death was hotly debated for years, as she was believed to have survived her family’s execution.  For Further Reading:  A Romanov Fantasy: Life at the court of Anna Anderson  ... Show More
6m 59s
Sep 2023
How Alex Murdaugh Was Raised To Feel No Shame
Murders, embezzlements, and shocking accusations - the tale of the Murdaugh family, once regarded as legal royalty in South Carolina, reads more like a crime thriller than real life. The newest revelations from Netflix's documentary, shining a light on the family's darkest secret ... Show More
5m 52s
Aug 2024
Modern-day matriarchs
Traditionally women often take on much of the responsibility for practical and emotional support for a family as well as passing on family knowledge and traditions. But is the role still relevant? Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women from Canada and the UK about being a modern ma ... Show More
26m 28s
Dec 2024
Sexually Assaulted by my Adoption Father
Exclusive $35-off Carver Mat at AuraFrames.com. Use code [INSANE] at checkout to save! Following the story of Elizabeth, who was adopted at the age of 19, she embarks on a new chapter in her life, discovering what it truly means to find a family. From the challenges of transi ... Show More
57m 38s
May 2024
Workers: Amelia Bloomer
Amelia Bloomer (1818-1894) was an early suffragist, editor, and social advocate. After writing about a less-restrictive style of dressing for women, she became inextricably linked with it. She’s the reason we think of pantaloons as “bloomers.” And ever since, the women’s rights m ... Show More
6m 25s
Nov 2024
Women of Controversy: Miyuki Ishikawa
Miyuki Ishikawa (1897 - c. 1987) was a Japanese midwife and serial killer. She is believed to be responsible for the death of 103 infants in the late 1940s. Her crimes highlighted the economic and social conditions of postwar Japan and the problems with its welfare system.  For F ... Show More
4m 6s
Sep 15
Patricia Lockwood, SEND rally, Maternity review, Kathrine Switzer
Patricia Lockwood is a poet, memoirist and novelist whose work straddles the literary world and the wilds of the internet. Patricia first went viral with her traumatic poem Rape Joke, while her memoir Priestdaddy, about being the daughter of a Catholic priest, has been called a m ... Show More
57m 40s