I saw a tweet by @BookGirl96 about this memoir and immediately messaged her to ask if I could review it.  (Reading friends, you should follow her because she will make you laugh AND keep you in the book loop, which is of course the very best place to be.)

Who Knows Tomorrow: A Memoir of Finding Family Among the Lost Children of Africa is a crazy good story that bridges worlds I did not think could be bridged.

Author Lisa Lovatt-Smith was the youngest-ever editor at British Vogue. The beginning of this book takes us inside her career ascension, with lots of juicy behind-the-scenes info and even a surprising take on Anna Wintour.  I really appreciated her perspective on navigating different career choices in this part of the book.

Then, while living in Paris, Lovatt-Smith adopts a daughter almost inadvertently, and when that daughter needs a bit of perspective, she arranges for the two of them to spend time in Ghana to volunteer at an orphanage. As they say on those Facebook videos, what happens next is incredible… The author moves to Ghana, sets up a children’s aid organization, and takes us through the harrowing process of navigating the local culture, customs, and corruption surrounding orphans and volunteers. Along the way she discovers that it is better for children to be raised in a family environment than in an institution, no matter how well run that institution might be, and shifts the philosophy of her organization to supporting children in family-based care.

Who Knows Tomorrow is an amazing story that I could not put down. It surprised me in every single chapter. It is one of those books that inspires you to believe that the actions of one person really can make a difference. Highly recommend.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.