UNTETHERED

In this debut memoir, Whitfield explores her tumultuous journey from North Carolina to New York and back, as she struggles to find her path in life.

In the 1970s, the author was still reeling from grief over the untimely death of her brother earlier that decade, but was determined to make it on her own—first, as a young adult enamored by the allure of the Outer Banks, and then as one of many hopeful models searching for success in competitive New York City. With humor and clarity, she tells of dreamy summer romances on the beach, the thrill and disappointment of working in an industry built on hollow promises of fame, and the struggle to establish a sense of self as she drifted further from home: “My life was closing in on me, and I didn’t know how to escape,” Whitfield recalls of her mindset before she quit New York to return to North Carolina—giving voice to a feeling that’s certain to resonate with many readers. Feeling unmoored, Whitfield attached herself to men whom she hoped could offer her stability and purpose. Cataloguing her past relationships, some born of true affection and others less so, she reflects on the futility of attempting to find solace in men while neglecting her own spiritual well-being. With each mistake and roadblock, Whitfield gradually rediscovered her faith and pieced together a fulfilling life, complete with a dream career, a loving family, and a firm belief that, at last, she’s on the right path. Her musings on the frailty of life’s “gossamer moments” as she deals with her brother’s death and later various health scares in her family are vulnerable and moving, and readers will find them to be easily the most poignant sections of the book. At more than 300 pages, however, the work feels excessively lengthy for what is, at its heart, a simple and straightforward story. Still, Whitfield’s narration is often engaging in its spirited expression of a resolute search for meaning.

A candid and inspirational coming-of-age story.