Jessica Pearce Rotondi
in Conversation with Yoojin Grace Wuertz
Tues., Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. at a private residence in Princeton
Please note, this venue is only accessible by stairs. Please reach out to development@princetonlibrary.org if you have questions related to accessibility.
Jessica Pearce Rotondi presents “What We Inherit: A Secret War and a Family’s Search for Answers,” the true story of her family’s 36-year search to bring a missing son home from the CIA-led war in Laos. Salman Rushdie called it “exceptional” and O, The Oprah Magazine named it a best book of summer 2020.
“An inspiring and revealing story of one family’s pursuit of the truth about their son.”
– Kirkus Reviews STARRED Review
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About the Book
In the wake of her mother’s death, Jessica Pearce Rotondi uncovers boxes of letters, declassified CIA reports, and newspaper clippings that bring to light a family ghost: Her Uncle Jack, who disappeared during the CIA-led “Secret War” in Laos in 1972. The letters lead her across Southeast Asia in search of the truth that has eluded her family for decades. What she discovers takes her closer to the mother she lost and the mysteries of a secret war that changed the rules of engagement forever.
“Exceptional.” – Salman Rushdie
“Completely engrossing.”- O, The Oprah Magazine
“This book shook my deepest assumptions about America.” – Sebastian Junger
“As breathtaking as any spy movie.” – LA Review of Books
About the Author
Jessica Pearce Rotondi’s work has been published by The History Channel, Reader’s Digest (cover story), The Boston Globe, Refinery29, Salon, and Vogue, and featured by NBC and CNN. She is Chair of Legacies Library at Legacies of War and the recipient of a 2024 Poet & Author Fellowship from The Martha’s Vineyard Creative Writing Institute. She has studied at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Sirenland, and Lighthouse Writers workshop. Jessica grew up in New England and is a graduate of Brown University. She is currently at work on her debut novel about the ripple effects of a flood on a close-knit island community. Visit Jessica at JessicaPearceRotondi.com.
Yoojin Grace Wuertz was born in Seoul, South Korea, and immigrated to the United States at age six. Her debut novel, “Everything Belongs to Us,” was selected as a New York Times Editors’ Choice, longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, and included on Kirkus Reviews’ Best Fiction of 2017. She is the author of two picture books (including “Habbi’s Treasures,” 2026) forthcoming from RISE x Penguin Workshop. Her writing has appeared in Guernica, ArtReview, The Times Literary Supplement, and The Los Angeles Review of Books, among others. She serves on the board of directors of the Brattleboro Literary Festival.
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