Like many adoptees, Don Anderson wanted to know where he came from. But would he be setting himself up for disappointment by searching? Would he discover parents who were not alive—or worse, parents who didn’t want to know him? Would he be able to find them at all?

Paper and Spit chronicles Anderson’s journey. Follow him every step of the way, from filing his first application in 1995, to obtaining information from the adoption agency that placed him, to knocking on his maternal aunt’s door in 2001, to finally confirming the identity of his father in 2015.

Using DNA and genealogy, Anderson finds not only the identity of his birth parents but also his true ethnic heritage. In his relentless pursuit, he attends conferences, classes, and studies—and he never gives up his search. Anderson discovers that his connection to his roots is stronger than he realizes—and once he reconnects, he never lets go.

Paper and Spit is filled with suspense, disappointments, breakthroughs, and climactic moments that make it a great read. Even if adoption is not your story, Anderson’s memoir will inspire you to find the roots of your identity and heritage.