Accidental Brothers

February 5, 2018
The fascinating case of two sets of identical twins in Colombia who were switched at birth, and only reunited at age 25, receives a plodding treatment from psychologist Segal (Twin Mythconceptions) and social worker Montoya. A hospital mixup resulted in William joining Wilber in remote, rural La Paz, while Carlos, Wilber’s real twin, went to urban Bogotá with Jorge. William and Wilber received limited education and access to culture, and Carlos and Jorge grew up in a single-parent household. Such environmental differences allow the authors to compare the impact of genetics and environment. They come up with some intriguing findings, in areas ranging from IQ (the city-raised pair tested higher than their rural twins) to handwriting (the biological twins were more similar to each other) but neglect the larger implications for human nature presented by twin studies. The book attempts to be both academic analysis and narrative, but shoehorning scholarly research into dramatically-recreated scenes leads to some awkward writing (“It is impossible to tell them apart, especially because of their ears—ear shape and structure are, in fact, genetically influenced features”). Although all of the brothers were interviewed, their voices are little in evidence. Readers will be left wishing for a greater sense of the twins’ own perspective on their extraordinary story.

February 15, 2018
The story of a baby-switching case that involved two children who were part of two different sets of identical twins.In December 1988, two women gave premature birth to two pairs of identical twin sons at a Bogota hospital. One woman came from La Paz, a rural municipality several hours outside the capital; the other came from Bogota itself. Hospital conditions were chaotic. Nurses often put premature babies together on a single table and used easily removed tags to identify the children. When the women and their sons were finally reunited, each had a boy that belonged to the other. Using information gathered from extensive interviews, Segal (Psychology/California State Univ., Fullerton) and Montoya describe the serendipitous events that led to the reunion of the brothers separated at birth and the effects that reunion had on both families. "Accidental brothers" William and Wilbur grew up in La Paz while their blood brothers Jorge and Carlos grew up in Bogota. Both mothers accepted the accidental brother in each set as family despite obvious differences in skin color, general appearance, and temperament. Where the La Paz brothers had limited access to education and advancement opportunities, the Bogota brothers were able to attend college and pursue careers. Drawing on twin study research as well as their own experiences with the brothers, the authors reveal the fascinating dynamics that emerged once each set of identical twins was reunited. Though the revelation shocked everyone, despite individual differences in personality and background, the rapport each true brother had with the other after 25 years of separation was undeniable. Yet the ties developed over more than two decades with other members of each respective family were also profound and remained strong even after the reunion. In exploring the impact that random events can have on personality formation and life chances, this study of the role nature and nurture play in upbringing sheds illuminating light on the meaning of family.A compellingly readable tale of identity formation.

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May 15, 2018

A life-changing mistake took place at a Colombian hospital in 1988: two sets of identical twins were switched at birth, splitting up the siblings and sending one of each set to a completely different family as the supposed fraternal twin of another. The error was discovered in 2014, when the boys were 25. In what should be required reading for all who study nature and nurture, Segal (psychology & director, Twin Studies Ctr., California State Univ., Fullerton) and Montoya (associate director of advising, Columbia Univ. Sch. of Social Work) reveal how the boys' families could not have been more different--one, urban, well educated and well connected; the other, hardworking and living in a rural area, where the house lacked electricity and running water. Each mother believed her twins to be fraternal. Lucky for readers, there are many pictures of the twins, parents, siblings, and other relatives, plus charts and maps to help keep track of everyone. The authors delve deeply into the boys' abilities, personalities, religions, goals, and behaviors. There are only seven known cases of identical twins switched at birth, so this research is new and thorough. VERDICT Essential for psychology and sociology students; fascinating for lay readers. [See Prepub Alert, 10/22/17.]--Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2018
Professor of psychology and self-styled twin tracker Segal and psychologist Montoya explore the lives of two sets of twins in Colombia, one of whom in each pair was accidentally switched with a twin from the other pair. In December 1988, Ana Delina Velasco Castillo and Luz Marina Castro Chavez each gave birth to twin boys. One in each set was born sickly, requiring additional hospitalization in Bogot�. Ana took home Wilbur, her biological son, and William, who was actually Luz's child, while Luz brought home Jorge, her own son, and Carlos, who was Ana's son. Ana raised her children in rural La Paz, while Luz's twins grew up in urban Bogot�. A chance encounter with friends more than two decades later led to the uncovering of the mix-up. Segal delves into the psychological ramifications of this life-changing accident, exploring nature versus nurture in the evolution of the twins' personalities as well as the effect the revelation of the switch had on the twins. Montoya compares their experiences to those of other switched twins. An utterly fascinating and comprehensive case study.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)