E.A. Hanks, the daughter of Tom Hanks and his first wife Susan Dillingham, has written a memoir about her complicated childhood. The book, “The 10: A Memoir of Family And The Open Road,” recounts E.A.’s six-month road trip on Interstate 10 from Los Angeles to Florida to learn more about her mother’s past.
E.A.’s parents met in the mid-1970s while attending Sacramento State University. They had two children, E.A. and her brother Colin, before divorcing in 1985. Susan, who later adopted a stage name, got primary custody of their children, with Tom maintaining weekend and summer visits. However, when Susan moved them from Los Angeles to Sacramento without notice, Tom was forced to track them down.
E.A.’s childhood was marked by turmoil, including her mother’s struggles with bipolar disorder and episodes of paranoia and delusion. The family home in Sacramento became increasingly chaotic, with the backyard filled with dog waste and the house smelling of smoke. E.A. remembers one night when her mother’s emotional violence turned physical, prompting her to move to Los Angeles at 13.
In a rare glimpse into their childhood, E.A. shares stories about her time with her mother in Florida, where they drove across America in a Winnebago during her senior year of high school. The book provides an intimate look at E.A.’s relationship with her mother and the complexities of their family dynamics.
“The 10: A Memoir of Family And The Open Road” is set to be released on April 8, offering a unique perspective on the Hanks family’s early years.
Source: https://people.com/ea-hanks-childhood-book-excerpt-exclusive-11707582