E.A. Hanks' Memoir Offers Candid Insight into Childhood and Mother's Troubled Life

Set for release on April 8, 'The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road' explores E.A. Hanks' tumultuous upbringing, her mother's struggles with mental health, and a transformative 2019 road trip.

E.A. Hanks' memoir details her childhood marked by neglect, emotional and physical violence, and her mother's undiagnosed mental health issues, suspected to be bipolar disorder.
Following her parents' divorce in 1985, Hanks initially lived with her mother, Susan Dillingham, before custody shifted to her father, Tom Hanks, after an incident of physical violence.
The book recounts a six-month road trip in 2019 along Interstate 10, during which Hanks sought to uncover her late mother's past and reflect on her own identity.
Susan Dillingham, who acted under the name Samantha Lewes, passed away from lung cancer in 2002, leaving unanswered questions about her life and struggles.
The memoir also touches on broader themes, including sociopolitical observations and regional differences in the U.S., as Hanks reflects on family, identity, and healing.