Latest news with #TheTen:AMemoirofFamilyandtheOpenRoad
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
EA Hanks reflects on father Tom Hanks' response to her memoir about her troubled childhood with her mother
EA Hanks revealed that her father, actor Tom Hanks , and her brother, Colin Hanks , were among the first to read her emotional new memoir, The Ten: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road, which reflects on her childhood with her late mother. Tom Hanks' Approval She shared that her father told her that the memoir perfectly captured the complex emotions of loving and fearing her mother. Once she knew she had portrayed her mother accurately, everything else in the book came together. The Book's Focus: A Journey to Understand Her Mother by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like News For Jack Nicholson, 87, He Has Been Confirmed To Be... Reportingly Undo The book recounts EA Hanks' six-month trip along Interstate 10, from California to Florida, as she tried to understand her late mother, Susan Dillingham , who passed away in 2002. It also explores her own challenging childhood during that journey. "I'm just another girl trying to make sense of her dead, crazy mother," Hanks said. Understanding Addiction and Mental Illness Hanks shared that while she grew up with an understanding of addiction, as her mother hosted 12-step programs at their home, she lacked the language to understand mental illness. Hanks explained that while she had an understanding of addiction from a young age, as her mother hosted 12-step programs and had sponsees stay with them, she lacked the vocabulary to comprehend mental health issues. She mentioned that much of the book is her effort to create and share that language. Describing Her Mother's Struggles In the book, the author describes her mother's relationship with reality as "fluid," explaining that the truth was often distorted by her mental illness. The Impact of Abuse in Her Childhood Hanks shared details of both emotional and physical abuse in her childhood home. She explained that in California during the late 1980s, family law usually required proof of physical abuse before a child could be taken out of such a situation. Hanks explained that family law in California in the late '80s didn't provide enough support for situations like hers. At that time, physical abuse needed to be documented for a child to be removed from a home. She said it was only after reaching that point that she moved to Los Angeles. Protecting Her Mother Despite a Complicated Relationship Despite their complicated relationship, Hanks expressed that she remained protective of her mother. In writing the memoir, she included her mother's poetry as a way to reconnect with her. Hanks described her mother as someone who felt like a talented artist sidelined too soon, due to her father's overwhelming fame. She saw incorporating her mother's work into the book as a way to honor her as an artist and continue their conversation, acknowledging how losing a parent often turns a two-way conversation into a one-way one. When reflecting on the truth she has come to understand, Hanks shared that her mother had both good and bad days. She felt fortunate to have experienced the good days and acknowledged how the difficult ones shaped her. While her care and protection for her younger self didn't erase their past struggles, she now finds more room for acceptance of both her mother's flaws and her own as she grows older. Themes of Place and Identity in the Memoir The memoir also delves into themes of place and identity. As a journalist, Hanks learned that while you can't begin interviews by asking about someone's mother, you can start with, "Tell me where you're from." She found that talking about one's hometown often opens the door to deeper conversations. Reflecting on her own journey, she realized that her identity is deeply shaped by where she comes from.
CBS News
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
E.A. Hanks on father Tom Hanks' reaction to new memoir on her turbulent childhood with her mother
Journalist E.A. Hanks shared that her father, actor Tom Hanks, and brother, Colin Hanks, were among the first to read her deeply personal new memoir, "The Ten: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road," which details her childhood with her late mother. "The first thing my dad said is, 'This is an accurate portrayal of what it was to love and fear this woman.' Once I knew that I had gotten her right, everything else flowed," she said during an appearance on "CBS Mornings" on Wednesday. The book details Hanks' six-month journey along Interstate 10 from California to Florida, during which she sought to better understand Susan Dillingham — who died in 2002 — and reflect on her own difficult childhood. "I'm just another girl trying to make sense of her dead, crazy mother," Hanks said. Hanks revealed that while growing up, she had language to understand addiction — her mother hosted 12-step programs in their home — but lacked vocabulary for mental illness. "My mom — I had language for addiction because we used to host 12-step programs in our house, and my mom would have sponsees stay with us. I had a language even from 8 years old about addiction, but there was no language for mental health and what was sort of wrong in the house," Hanks explained. "A lot of the book is me trying to create that language and share it." The author described her mother's "fluid" relationship with reality, saying in the book that "mom's relationship with reality was fluid. Truth was fed through the meat grinder of mental illness." She detailed both emotional and physical abuse in her childhood home. Hanks explained that in California during the late 1980s, family law typically required evidence of physical abuse before a child could be removed from a situation. "Family law in California in the late '80s wasn't enough room for it. At that time, you kind of had to have the receipts of physical abuse to get pulled out of a situation. And once we crossed that rubicon is when I moved to Los Angeles," she said. Despite the difficult relationship, Hanks said she remained protective of her mother. In writing the memoir, she incorporated her mother's poetry as a way to reconnect with her. "At the time, my mom kind of had this stance like a thoroughbred who had been put out to pasture too soon, and she didn't get her chance as an artist because of my dad's, as I describe it, catastrophic fame," Hanks said. "I think including her poetry in the book is a way of treating her seriously as an artist and getting back into conversation with her. And anybody who's buried a parent knows that a two-way conversation suddenly becomes a one-way conversation." When asked about the truth she now understands, Hanks reflected, "The truth is, my mother had good days and bad days. And I was lucky to experience the good days, and I was shaped by the bad days. All of the care and protection I had for the child that I was doesn't diminish what happened between us. But it means that as I get older, there's more wiggle room and acceptance for her flaws and mine." The memoir also explores themes of place and identity. As a journalist accustomed to interviewing others, Hanks discovered, "When you're talking to stone-cold strangers, you can't start with, 'Tell me about your mom,' but you can start with, 'Tell me where you're from.' If someone wants to talk about their hometown, it's an elevator to their deepest self." She added, "Identity and where you're from, that's the whole story. I learned that I'm the product of where I'm from." "The Ten: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road" is available now.
CBS News
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
E.A. Hanks on father Tom Hanks' reaction to her memoir on her turbulent childhood with her mother
Journalist E.A. Hanks shared that her father, actor Tom Hanks, and brother, Colin Hanks, were among the first to read her deeply personal new memoir, "The Ten: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road," which details her childhood with her late mother. "The first thing my dad said is, 'This is an accurate portrayal of what it was to love and fear this woman.' Once I knew that I had gotten her right, everything else flowed," she said during an appearance on "CBS Mornings" on Wednesday. The book details Hanks' six-month journey along Interstate 10 from California to Florida, during which she sought to better understand Susan Dillingham — who died in 2002 — and reflect on her own difficult childhood. "I'm just another girl trying to make sense of her dead, crazy mother," Hanks said. Hanks revealed that while growing up, she had language to understand addiction — her mother hosted 12-step programs in their home — but lacked vocabulary for mental illness. "My mom — I had language for addiction because we used to host 12-step programs in our house, and my mom would have sponsees stay with us. I had a language even from 8 years old about addiction, but there was no language for mental health and what was sort of wrong in the house," Hanks explained. "A lot of the book is me trying to create that language and share it." The author described her mother's "fluid" relationship with reality, saying in the book that "mom's relationship with reality was fluid. Truth was fed through the meat grinder of mental illness." She detailed both emotional and physical abuse in her childhood home. Hanks explained that in California during the late 1980s, family law typically required evidence of physical abuse before a child could be removed from a situation. "Family law in California in the late '80s wasn't enough room for it. At that time, you kind of had to have the receipts of physical abuse to get pulled out of a situation. And once we crossed that rubicon is when I moved to Los Angeles," she said. Despite the difficult relationship, Hanks said she remained protective of her mother. In writing the memoir, she incorporated her mother's poetry as a way to reconnect with her. "At the time, my mom kind of had this stance like a thoroughbred who had been put out to pasture too soon, and she didn't get her chance as an artist because of my dad's, as I describe it, catastrophic fame," Hanks said. "I think including her poetry in the book is a way of treating her seriously as an artist and getting back into conversation with her. And anybody who's buried a parent knows that a two-way conversation suddenly becomes a one-way conversation." When asked about the truth she now understands, Hanks reflected, "The truth is, my mother had good days and bad days. And I was lucky to experience the good days, and I was shaped by the bad days. All of the care and protection I had for the child that I was doesn't diminish what happened between us. But it means that as I get older, there's more wiggle room and acceptance for her flaws and mine." The memoir also explores themes of place and identity. As a journalist accustomed to interviewing others, Hanks discovered, "When you're talking to stone-cold strangers, you can't start with, 'Tell me about your mom,' but you can start with, 'Tell me where you're from.' If someone wants to talk about their hometown, it's an elevator to their deepest self." She added, "Identity and where you're from, that's the whole story. I learned that I'm the product of where I'm from." "The Ten: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road" is available now.
