Here’s an observation. Usually when I have a new book out, I receive notes from people who say, very simply, “Loved the book!” Or “Great book!” Or “Another winner!”

That changed with Family Tree. The notes you’ve been sending are longer. You’re telling me about racial events in your own families or in families you know. You remark on how much you’ve learned about genetics from the book. And you tell me about the ways in which you’ve grown more sensitive to the issue of race and more aware of, startled by, even, in some instances, ashamed of your own biases since reading Family Tree.

These thoughts are in notes you’ve sent through my website, but a similar phenomenon is taking place on the bn.com book group discussion boards, where Family Tree is a March book group pick. The moderator poses questions relating directly to the book, then one reader posts a reply, then another replies to that, and so on. What’s interesting is that many of the threads seem to be gradually veering away from the discussion of the characters in Family Tree and focusing on readers’ personal experiences.

Am I offended? Absolutely not. Quite the opposite, actually. I am thrilled that so many people are thinking about Family Tree, really thinking about it long after the last page is read. They’re taking the issues raised in the book and applying them to their own lives. As a writer, I couldn’t ask for a better response to my work.

My thanks to all of you who have taken the time both to read Family Tree and to share your reactions to it with me!