The Foundling

The True Story of a Kidnapping, a Family Secret, and My Search for the Real Me

De: Paul Joseph Fronczak, Alex Tresniowski

Narrado por: Kirby Heyborne

The Foundling tells the incredible and inspiring true story of Paul Fronczak, a man who recently discovered via a DNA test that he was not who he thought he was - and set out to solve two 50-year-old mysteries at once. Along the way he upturned the genealogy industry, unearthed his family's deepest secrets, and broke open the second longest cold case in US history, all in a desperate bid to find out who he really is.

In 1964 a woman pretending to be a nurse kidnapped an infant boy named Paul Fronczak from a Chicago hospital.

Two years later police found a boy abandoned outside a variety store in New Jersey. The FBI tracked down Dora Fronczak, the kidnapped infant's mother, and she identified the abandoned boy as her son. The family spent the next 50 years believing they were whole again - but Paul was always unsure about his true identity.

Then, four years ago - spurred on by the birth of his first child, Emma Faith - Paul took a DNA test. The test revealed definitively that he was not Paul Fronczak. From that moment on, Paul has been on a tireless mission to find the man whose life he's been living - and to discover who abandoned him and why.

This is the story of Paul's heart-wrenching and tortuous journey to solve both mysteries and finally learn the truth about his identity.

The Foundling is a touching and inspiring story about a child lost and faith found, about the permanence of families and the bloodlines that define you, and about the emotional toll of both losing your identity and rediscovering who you truly are.

©2017 Paul Joseph Fronczak and Alex Tresniowski (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Intellectually stimulating; a fascinating story!

One of the best books I've ever read. Captivating from the start, and you can't imagine the journey of twists and turns that the story will take. This book proves what they say: Truth is better than fiction. Highly recommended.

Absolutely amazing story - couldn't put it down

Any additional comments?

It's hard to believe this is a true story. So many high points and low points. The narrator is fabulous.....loved him in When The Air Hits Your Brain.

Occasional Reader

I simply loved this book and have also ordered the hardback book to go back over it again. I want to highlight some of the important lessons covered about DNA. I am also excited to be able to meet CeCe Moore at the Arkansas Genealogical Society's Fall Seminar this weekend. I hope there will be a second book or an update to tell the rest of the story whenever it unfolds. This book will help so many of us who are a part of the Adoption Triad - Adopted Adults, Birth Parents and Adoptive Parents. Thanks.

Sad and touching

It is unfortunate that maladjusted people mess up their children’s lives. The author has written compassionately about people who did not show him compassion. Speaks well of him.

Great Book!

I really liked this book. the only problem I have with any memoir/nonfiction is the author not being the narrator. Other than that this is a great read

Needs update

You cant leave us on such a cliffhanger, the real paul, jill, come on, dont stop.

Incredibly redundant

Maybe the initial story was dramatic but after awhile it becomes boring. The bit about genetics was interesting. Every family has dark sides and secrets. Every person searches to find themself, having nothing to do with being “abandoned” as was said so many times it became maudlin. You cannot live in the past.

Great Book

SPOILER Great book the more you listen the more interesting it gets. I was hoping to find out how the real son was but in the book "spoiler" he doesn't find him. I know he recently did and he died but never found out what his life was like.

Too long, too technical

I really enjoyed this book in the beginning but with 2 hours left, I find myself not wanting to listen further. Many of the technical details get boring and are unnecessary. The book is about finding his biological mother. Why do we need to know the science of DNA? A edited background of DNA science would suffice but the author lost me with the drawn out explanation of DNA and I will be returning the book.

Excellent true story that keeps you guessing!

Great listen! Few newer autobiographies have this much mystery and suspense. The book kept you guessing and then searching online for the latest updates (epilogue was written in 2015).