My goal is to at least reach Level 3 which requires I read 12 books about adoption, 6 non-fiction/6 fiction. I am interested that Jenna included reading fiction in her challenge as well. I never really considered reading adoption fiction because I assumed it would be the same as watching a Lifetime movie on adoption where it is either a nightmare or puppy dogs and rainbows. But I am starting to see the wisdom in her inclusion of fiction and so I will read!
So far I have read the following books on adoption (not this year) with quick Men on Film style reviews:
I was a huge fan of "In Living Color" back in the day!
In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda M. Roorda - "Three words - fa-bu-lous!" A must read for everyone. Especially those considering transracial adoption.
Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother by Jana Wolff - Again, "Three words - fa-bu-lous!" A must read for... well everyone.
Dear Birthmother by Kathleen Silber - "Hated it!" Seriously, this book lacks compassion. Supposedly it is the handbook for open adoption yet I felt like I was reading about the life of a sabertooth tiger, written by a caveman, in stick sketches. It seemed so out dated and too far removed from the concerns of first parents and adoptees for me to be willing to recommend it to anyone else.
So far these are the books I plan on reading:
Another Place at the Table by Kathy Harrison
My Father's Daughter by Hannah Pool
Chosen: A Novel by Chandra Hoffman
The Primal Wound by Nancy Verrier
A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenoweth
Yes my list is seriously lacking and yes I stole most of them off of Jenna's own list! Book recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Especially in the fiction department.
As for my recommendation... click on the link and join in!
p.s. Also would love a recommendation on how to fix blogger when it insists on diregarding the pararaph changes and instead smooshes the text all together!
6 comments:
I also loved In Living Color! 2 snaps up!
As for fiction, I happened to run across adoption themes in my book club books. Run by Ann Pachett and Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult.
I also read Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other by Scott Simon recently.
I am reading "Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew." It is kind of depressing in a lot of ways, but very much honoring the adopted child's emotional needs. I like it.
The next one on my list is "Talking with Young Children About Adoption." I am really looking forward to immersing myself in developmentally appropriate ways to talk with Jax about his adoption.
Good luck on your challenge:)!
I'm not really part of her challenge but I am reading as many book (mostly adoption related) as I can before the end of the year.
Books that I really like/have read, plan to read, and would recommend (I can't remember the authors for all of them off the top of my head):
"Being Adopted: the Lifelong Search for Self" by David Brodzinsky, Schechter, and Henig.
"The Adoption Mystique: A Hard-Hitting Expose of the Negative Social Stigma that Permeates Child Adoption in the United States"
"Wake Up Little Susie: Single Pregnancy and Race in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade" by Solinger
"Twice Born, Memoirs of an Adopted Daughter" by BJ Lifton
"The Girls Who Went Away: the Hidden History of the Women Who Surrendered Children to Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade" by Ann Fessler
"Coming Home to Self" by Nancy Verrier
Thank you so much, Missy, Faith and Amanda! I've written all the books down in my journal and I must say my new struggle will be which one to pick to read first.
Hi, found your blog from the United Adoptees International blog roll. Thanks for these great suggestions.
My kids, who are no longer kids, are Korean, so my book list leans decidedly toward Korean, Asian and transracial adoption topics. One of my favorites is Outsiders Within: Writing on Transracial Adoption.
Thanks, Margie I'm going to add that book to my list. I read your blog often! I thought I was even a follower but I wasn't, so now I am :)
~Jill
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