Customer Reviews

Adoption: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice? Reflections by an American adoptive mother on infant adoption, birth and reunion

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Once I began reading this book, I really couldn't put it down.The fact that I had a personal interest in it..(I am the birthmother mentioned)..made this book very compelling, indeed!It also gave me great insight into the perspectives of the adoptive parents, and revealed the feelings and the emotions of the adopted child herself.She was no longer the infant of my imagination, but a full-grown accomplished young woman with a mind of her own!Notably, this is not a book just for the benefit of the characters in it, but moreover it is a book anyone would find interesting. It is a memoir;it is an education;it's a reflection;it's real life!It will stir your emotions and challenge your previous beliefs,biases,and/or prejudices.It will stimulate new thought and bring light into the world of adoption!
Many truths spark the wisdom of this book and it will inform and delight the reader.I highly recommend it!

This is a very interesting combination of memoir and advocacy. Most books promote one adoption practice over the other, sometimes even with a fundamentalist air to it. Fitzgerald takes up all three practices: closed, semi-open and open, and rejects closed, or secret adoption because of her personal experience with it, but then wrestles with what might be a better practice, open or semi-open. The research cited on the issue seems, at this time, to favor the semi-open practice but leaves open the idea that there is no one-size-fits all approach. Fitzgerald's experience with the birthmother is touching and also the birthmother's belief that she could not have coped with an open adoption but would have preferred a semi-open one over secrecy. By contrast, the daughter, now an adult and a mother herself, would once more have wanted a closed adoption. Anyone looking for a straight-forward answer about adoption practices will not find one. It is truly an individual matter. Become as informed as possible and then decide for yourself what practice would be best for you.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in adoption. First of all, it is very thorough, analyzing many aspects of adoption from a number of different angles. The author isn't trying to push any particular point of view on the reader, but instead gives a nice overview of the relevant issues, and at times adds her opinion. Not only is there a lot of useful information in this book, but it also is a heartwarming story about the author's adoption of her daughter and eventual reunification with the birth mother. It is a very engaging story, and should be read by anyone wanting to learn more about adoption, or anyone who enjoys a heartwarming story.

I bought this book while working through our first adoption. We were struggling with deciding between the different types of domestic adoptions. I thought this book would give some insight. I have to say, it was challenging to get through. I actually could not finish the book. It seemed wordy to me and did not come to any clear points - in the parts that I read anyway. I believe there are better organized, more fact-based books out there for those interested in learning about the pros and cons about the different types of domestic adoptions.

Finally people are beginning to realize that adoption doesn't end for the birthmother when she signs the relinquishment papers, or for the adoptive parents when the court papers are signed, and certainly not for the adoptee. It's a lifelong adjustment that brings unique issues to all the members. A welcome change for those of us who had to survive the era when everyone thought the best way to handle adoption was to keep secrets and tell lies.