
Family Secrets. We all have them. And while the discovery of family secrets can initially be terrifying or traumatic, often these discoveries have the power to liberate, heal, and even uplift us. Join Dani Shapiro, bestselling author of the memoir Inheritance, and her guests as they explore astonishing family secrets and uncover the extraordinary lessons the truth can teach us.
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 264 | Founded | 8 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | Society & Culture | |||

In our extraordinary season finale, Mary Afsari shows us how our unknowable pasts—the tragedies, traumas, and truths—can shape a future and change a life. Many lives, in fact.
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When Emily returns from a family trip, she tells people she has a “crazy story” but it’s more than that. It’s always more than that.
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Casey’s biological mother doesn’t want to be found. But still, Casey seeks to find her. Needs to. And when she does, a deluge of truth pours forth.
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Tom’s father takes up all the oxygen in the room with a presence that's larger than life. Larger, in fact, than the many lives he keeps hidden from his wife and children. Tom must reckon with this legacy as he sets out to forge his own.
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Like many other reviewers here, I’m so disappointed in how awful this podcast is now. I started listening in 2019, and it was absolutely amazing back then. Now, it’s just writers reading passages from their books and telling long boring stories about their childhood. I keep waiting for the big secret reveal in every episode, but it never appears. So long Family Secrets. I’m no longer a fan.
This pod used to be GREAT!!! Until she pivoted to all authors. Just bc they write doesn’t mean they have the best, most interesting stories to tell. And TBH a lot of them are…whiny. I would love to hear from your average Joe again, who has the best story. Maybe Dani thinks their story telling is less artistic but I totally disagree.
This podcast has been very healing for me.
I listened to most of this episode this afternoon and really don’t want to finish. I found Lou to be really repulsive, a man so hollow inside that he could only imitate the looks of others and intimidate his family to convince himself that he was important. Maybe the end of the story redeems him in some way, but I’m not willing to spend another minute hearing about this nothing of a person.
Beautifully, respectfully told stories that haven’t failed to keep me absorbed and intrigued.
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Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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The show centers on intimate, often family-based revelations and the process of truth-telling, featuring memoirists, journalists, academics, and activists who share personal histories of secrecy, trauma, and resilience. Episodes frequently explore how hidden pasts shape identities, relationships, and life choices, with a strong emphasis on healing through confession, storytelling, and public accountability. Notable traits include a steady stream of author guests discussing their work within memoir and trauma recovery, a calm, empathetic interview style, and a blend of high-profile investigations with deeply personal narratives. This combination makes it compelling for listeners who value thoughtful, emotionally anchored conversations about ... more
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Family Secrets launched 8 years ago and published 264 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Family Secrets include:
1. Mary Fariba Afsari
2. Emily Labarge
3. Casey Kahn
4. Tom Junot
5. Darcy Ballentine
6. Fatima Bhutto
7. Laurie Herzl
8. Mimi Nickter
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