July 11, 2007...11:19 pm
Book-choosing
The agenda for this month’s meeting of my local adoption support group – where all parts of the triad are represented in the membership — is a book discussion.
I began attending more than a year ago and the group has hosted myriad writers and speakers touched by adoption with their own unique journey, a musician who is an adoptee, and a birthmother reunited with her son some 30 years after placement in a closed adoption flew in from the West Coast to discuss how the limited relationship with her son has affected her, her family, her other children. Fascinating conversations of open vs. closed adoption ensued (as often discussed here, including this post, my husband’s own adoption is closed and we committed to an open adoption with our daughter’s first mother, so it’s a topic near and dear to us).
The two book choices for the upcoming meeting? The Stork Market: America’s Multi-Billion Dollar Unregulated Adoption Industry by Mirah Riben and The Waiting Child by Cindy Champnella, which examines orphanage life through one little girl’s experience.
I’m leaning toward Riben’s book. Anyone read either of ‘em?
5 Comments
July 12, 2007 at 10:26 am
Heather Lowe reviewed your first book mentioned (http://unplanned-pregnancy.adoptionblogs.com/index.php/weblogs/book-review-the-stork-market) . Sandra then hit on an OpEd piece by the author (http://international.adoptionblogs.com/index.php/weblogs/when-poop-is-just-poop) and made her own point of view which, since opinions are like rear ends… , the author didn’t enjoy and prompted this mess (http://editor.adoptionblogs.com/index.php/weblogs/adoption-human-trafficking) the drug our editor into the fray. The book itself has some extreme points of view that an adoption support group, especially if filled with adoptive parents, may not take well to which, if you’ve chosen the book for them, you might have to take the brunt of their anger. (The last link has links to all of the reviews on adoptionblogs, I think.)
That said, I have no other suggestions other than my usual Lifegivers by James L. Gritter. Best of luck finding a book!
July 12, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Thanks, Jenna, for the background. The books actually were suggested by others in the group. I haven’t read either and was wondering which I should pick up to read for the meeting. I’ve followed all your links — thanks for putting all that together — and am surprised I missed the recent brouhaha.
It will be an interesting book-review meeting — our group is comprised of adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents from all generations.
Thanks for the reminder on Lifegivers. I need to look into it. I actually recently came across a quote from James Gritter that I love.
July 13, 2007 at 3:33 am
I highly recommeded Mirah Riben’s book, but then I wrote the foreword! You might like to consider my books for a future meeting of your group. Regards,
Evelyn Robinson
http://www.clovapublications.com
July 13, 2007 at 10:34 am
I have read Mirah Riben’s book, The Stork Market, and have reviewed it on Amazon.com. It is a meaningful, fascinating read, that I’d highly recommend for your book discussion/support group.
Dave
David Kirschner, PhD.
author - Adoption: Uncharted Waters
November 26, 2007 at 11:16 am
I just saw this…and would be happy to talk (by speaker phone) to your group if you decide to read “The Waiting Child” in the future…
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