THE FRUIT YOU’LL NEVER SEE: A memoir about overcoming shame

Growing up in Gloucester, Massachusetts, a quaint coastal town with a dark underbelly, Gail Brenner Nastasia learned early on that some people mattered and others didn’t. As the child of a heroin-addicted mother and an aunt who brokered deals with men who liked to have sex with young girls, Gail was sure she didn’t matter. As a result of keeping her secrets and those of her family, she developed a cunning and merciless pill addiction.

Despite moving away from Gloucester in her early twenties and becoming an attorney, Gail continued to use drugs while carrying the shame of her childhood. It wasn’t until she began to appreciate the value in her criminally-charged clients, those with whom she shared similar struggles, that she finally recognized her own worth. This new understanding gave her the courage to put down the drugs, fully embrace her history, and stop hiding.

A candid look at the things we inherit, The Fruit You’ll Never See reminds us of the value intrinsic in every human being and the responsibility we all have to each other and ourselves.