Customer Reviews

An American Family

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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

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!

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!

I don't normally get this sappy, but since I'm a child of a gay man this is close to my heart. An American Family is an is an absolutely wonderful book about two gay men who fought against the odds to adopt their son Adam - an incredibly sick baby who wouldn't have been wanted by those who protested against the Galluccios' adoption of that child. The Galluccio's make their case in simple, heartfelt language. Their love for their children and each other can be felt through their words. When they describe meeting Adam for the first time in the hospital it's hard not to cry. These are brave men who won an important battle for all children. It's just so sad that some people will never be able to see that.

An American Family is the true story of two gay men, Jon and Michael, adopting two children, Adam and Madison. Joh and Michael are a kind and loving couple looking to become parents when they are introduced to Adam, a baby boy who has drug problems and is HIV+ due to his soon deceased mother. Michael and Jon put incredible work into caring and bringing there new son back to normal health. But before long they discover they are not aloud to adopt Adam together as a couple. Soon they are fighting a hard battle to make Adam their true son.As there love for Adam grows they decide to care for another baby, Madison, while still trying to make Adam leagully theirs. And so they journey begins as two loving men fight for the children they truly love.
An American Family not only moved me but showed me just how much someone will do for the people they love. The book is beautifuly written by both parents, Joh and Michael Galluccio, and includes a heartwarming photo album at the end of the book. Belive me, you won't be disappointed by this incredible and loving stroy. Read An American Family as soon as you can.

Maybe these guys aren't going to win any Super prizes for their writing, but I thought this book was just so wonderful. Their story is great, their persistence and their committment to their son was so inspiring. And frankly, I found their somewhat casual story-telling style to be perfect. I so related to Jon being at home with the baby for the first time and having a semi-complete-hysterical-meltdown! And I loved the back-and-forth way the chapters went, so that you had both points of view...

One of my favorite reads this year so far!

I never thought I would read a book like this, much less interview an author of a book of this nature on my radio show, but I am so very glad I took the time to do so. I've never read anything like it, and when you read it, have a box of tissues handy!

Jon and Michael went through pure hell to adopt these two (ultimately 3) special needs kids. Never even having changed a diaper, they take on dispensing medication - and machine type medication at that! Forget the fact that they are a gay married couple - they are men! Two men adopting children! What married woman could get her husband to do the things they single handedly did!

This is an amazing story - you must read it. I mean it sincerely, have a box of tissues handy!

This story is amazing and I have the utmost admiration for these parents! Their account is inspiring. How it is conveyed is somewhat flat, more of a recounting of activities -- like a diary. The emotionality could be more compelling if it took on a reportage style and less a recollection of events.

First, let me say that I consider myself to be conservative in most ways. And a conservative would hold to the "biased" notion that two gay men cannot and should not be parents. Mike and Jon Gallucio prove that prejudice wrong! In this powerful book the Gallucios prove that there IS such a thing as "gay christian" who can raise a family with upstanding moral values, better than most heterosexual families. Their fight to win permanent custody of their adopted children is told powerfully and convincingly. I shed many tears reading this book and I'm proud for the Gallucios. I applaud their convictions, their courage and their ability to fight for what is right in this world. May God Bless them and their beautiful family! By the way, as of this writing, they are grandparents now....their adopted daughter Rosa recently gave birth to a baby girl! Congratulations!

This book was a difficult read at first, the reason being that the writing style of the Messers Gallucio left a bit to be desired in the area of style. Still, the heartfelt urgency of the story of their nurturing a sickly baby into a healthy, rambunctious toddler drew me in and kept me interested. Their story is an inspiration not just for gays and lesbians, but for anyone who wishes to have a family.