An American Family [Paperback]

Michael Galluccio (Author), Jon Galluccio (Author), David Groff (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 2002

What makes a family?
Love makes a family.

This is the story of two gay men who become foster parents to Adam, a premature baby, born with the AIDS virus and addicted to crack, heroin, marijuana, and alcohol. While nursing Adam through the many medical emergencies of his first year and surviving the daily dramas that all new parents go through, they realize that this child, their son, could be taken back from them at any time by the state, and they decide to try to legally adopt him together. Refused by the state—even as it asks them to care for another at-risk infant—they decide to fight for their son in the courts, and win, setting a precedent for all unmarried couples in New Jersey. This book is dramatic proof that the American family is vibrantly alive and extending itself in remarkable new directions.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The story of Jon and Michael Galluccio, a gay New Jersey couple, and their fight to adopt their HIV-positive infant foster son, Adam, would sound like the script for a stirring made-for-television movie if the protagonists weren't both men. Complete with controversy, opposition, failures, moments of grace, and an amazing subplot in which Jon seeks out his own birth mother, An American Family is a page-turner, simply and affectingly written. Jon and Michael's first meeting with 3-month-old Adam took place in a run-down nursery filled with "medically fragile" babies whose parents had abandoned them to the state at birth. The frail, drug-addicted Adam was lifted into Michael's arms. Although his file read "Foster Only," the head nurse looked over Jon and Michael and asked, "You're adopting him, right?" Adam would become one of the few, very lucky at-risk children to find a permanent, loving home, and in 1997 the Galluccios would make news as the first unmarried couple in New Jersey to legally adopt a child together. An American Family is inspiring reading for anyone with a child, or whose family doesn't outwardly resemble the Cleavers or the Van Dykes. --Regina Marler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Written by two gay men whose court challenge helped rewrite New Jersey law to allow joint adoption by unmarried couples, this moving, often funny and sometimes quite poignant memoir explores the emotional, psychological and legal battles that gay couples (and unmarried heterosexual couples) often face when dealing with issues of foster care, adoption and social intolerance. In 1995, Michael Galluccio and Jon Holden, who had been partners for 16 years, became foster parents to Adam, an HIV+ infant who was also addicted to heroin, cocaine and alcohol. After they nursed him through his first years, their desire to adopt him was thwarted by state law that did not allow gay (and unmarried straight) couples to co-adopt. The story of how they won their case is only one thread of this engrossing story, for during this time the Galluccios (Jon changed his last name so that their son would have a single name ) also took into foster care and then adopted another at-risk infant as well as that child's 18-year-old sister, who was pregnant. By the end of the book, the Gallucios have become the parents of three children and grandfathers to one. Concurrently, Jon, who was himself adopted, tells the story of his search for his biological mother. Written in a direct, compelling style, the Galluccios' story offers an engaging glimpse into the increasingly complex institution of the family, and should appeal to those who have been touched by adoption, as well as to gay and lesbian readers.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (March 20, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312288875
• ISBN-13: 978-0312288877
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,104,256 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every American should read, February 21, 2001

By 

Roy Wayne Shiflet (Laurel, Md USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An American Family (Non-Traditional) (Hardcover)

What a wonderful heartwarming book. My only criticism, is that I was longing for more "family photos" Jon and Michael should be honored for what they have accomplished. If I thought it would be properly delivered, I would send it as a gift to George W Bush, and several members on Congress

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Life I hope to have, February 25, 2001

By 

Matthew Hout - See all my reviews

This review is from: An American Family (Non-Traditional) (Hardcover)

I love this book! I have dreams and goals in my life and after reading this book, I know they will come true for me, like they have for Michael and Jon. My best wishes to them and their family!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An All American Family's Story, March 23, 2001

By 

JJ Stark (Cicero, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: An American Family (Non-Traditional) (Hardcover)

I truly loved this book. I am a married female and I found the story this book told to be that of loving parents trying to do what it is we all try to do - take care of & provide for our children no matter what it takes. Michael & Jon had so much against them, but knew that the love they had for their children, and for each other, would prevail and they would be granted the right to jointly adopt the foster child they had lovingly taken care of since his early weeks of life. There are so many married couples who could NEVER have accomplished all they did with Adam, and the state of NJ attempted to withhold their well-earned right to adopt Adam jointly. This books tells the loving story of two fathers and how they grew into a family of 5. The book is narrated alternately by Jon and Michael (they wrote alternate chapters) and you can just see the love flow off of the pages. I would challenge anyone who ever had an uncertain negative thought about two gay men raising a child together to read this story and not come away from it feeling that in the end, Adam's best interests were served and those of his two sisters (one a teenager, who by the way, REQUESTED that they adopt her!). I also would challenge a married heterosexual couple to attempt to follow the same path Jon & Michael do and see what the end result for them is. I guarantee, not many couples could accomplish all that they did. Thank you for giving me wonderful read and one I will truly never forget! Your story is truly an inspiration for parents everywhere!