Eat the Document is the story of a '60s radical, implicated in a bombing plot gone awry, and her attempt to escape justice by reinventing herself completely into a new person. Although this idea has some romantic resonance, the reality, as illustrated by the author, is psychically debilitating. The novel traces the protagonist, who moves through several invented identities as she tries to obliterate her past self. Parallel journeys are suggested in that of her boyfriend at the time, and other minor characters. The novel is engaging and subtle in its telling of the psychological toll of living a life of lies and never being able to be truthful to anyone. There is also, later in the book, a parallel story of the discover of the protagonist's true identity by her teenage son. All-in-all, it is a powerfully written book and worth reading.
For a review of the book by NY Times, click here: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/03/books/a-radical-on-the-run-determined-to-escape-the-past.html
