Patti Smith’s Discovery of Her Biological Father
Punk rock pioneer Patti Smith reveals in her new memoir, Bread of Angels, how she discovered the identity of her biological father decades after putting a daughter up for adoption. This memoir was published by Random House and released on Tuesday.
Family DNA Revelations
For many years, after a 2012 DNA test showed Patti and her sister Linda were only half-sisters, they believed the theory their maternal grandmother had long suspected: that Patti's biological father was actually her mother’s uncle. However, further testing changed this assumption.
When they took an autosomal DNA test to explore their mother’s side, the sisters found that Patti’s father was “100% Ashkenazi,” according to Smith. This news arrived on her 70th birthday, offering a clearer picture of her ancestry.
Assistance from Her Adopted Daughter
Surprisingly, Smith’s journey to discovering her father was aided by the daughter she had given up for adoption at age 20. The two had been reunited, and her daughter’s investigative skills proved crucial.
“Embraced into our fold,” Smith describes how her daughter’s sleuthing helped locate a photograph of her father, Sidney.
She found out Sidney was a “handsome Jewish pilot” with “dark wavy hair” who died in 1965. Smith respects her daughter’s privacy and shares no more personal details per her wishes.
Summary
Patti Smith’s memoir uncovers decades of family mysteries, revealing how modern DNA testing and personal reconnection helped her finally learn the identity of her biological father.