Black Market Baby: An Adopted Woman's Journey [Paperback]

Renée Clarke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2009

Half the U.S. population (140 million Americans) have an adoption in their immediate family. There is an estimated seven million, or one-third of the Canadian population, involved in the triad of adoption. The thread of this book is adoption through which the fascinating twists of Clarke's life are woven: divorce, "dropping out," living in the wilderness, overcoming cancer, estrangement of her children, and finding a soul mate. "Black Market Baby" chronicles the life journey and search for birth parents, evolving into an epic tale of illegitimate babies sold illegally through adoption rings operating in Montreal, Quebec, and the northeast United States during the 30s, 40s and early 50s. This intriguing account is told against a backdrop of historical events from 1940 to the present day. "Renee Clarke writes of her solace found in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains, her deep and abiding love for three daughters and her lengthy, life-changing search for her natural mother ... the roots she never knew. In the course of doing so, she pens a totally frank and remarkably detailed journey of life." - Jane Sullivan, former First Lady of Wyoming "Renee Clark has transformed a personal story into a universal one." - Adoptee "This is a rewarding book for anyone who has ever wondered what it is like to be adopted - and for those who are." - B.J. Lifton, author of Journey of the Adopted Self, Twice Born and Lost and Found."

Product Details

• Paperback: 358 pages
• Publisher: Backroads Productions (October 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0933294069
• ISBN-13: 978-0933294066
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,172,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fresh look at secret adoptions & the pain they cause, January 2, 2010

By 

Barbara Davis (Charlottesville Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Market Baby: An Adopted Woman's Journey (Paperback)

This book will teach you much about yourself if you are adopted...or if you are not adopted.
Old archaic laws, particularly in Canada, are in many cases still locked in place and keeping adopted
"children" and their families from learning anything at all. Often the story of one person shines light
on the stories of many...and this is one of those times. As the reader gets involved in Renee Clark's
search for herself, there are constant reminders of thousands of others feeling the same emptiness
as their need for a personal history increases. This book will make you think about how important your
roots are and how it affects so many aspects of life....especially if those roots are unknown.
We should ALL want adoption laws realistically modernized!

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Just for Adoptees, February 7, 2010

By 

Dan Kuehn - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black Market Baby: An Adopted Woman's Journey (Paperback)

This wonderful book is not only for people who are adopted ... it's for people who are looking to change their lives and find their own road to travel. Ms. Clarke shows us that it can be done. We CAN change our lives even though no one said it would be easy. From a near death experience to a divorce, to a shattered family, to uprooting her life, Ms. Clarke faces each hurtle with courage and determination finding solace by hiking in the Rocky Mountains with her daughter.

The in-depth search for her birth parents is the spine that holds this fascinating odyssey together as Ms. Clarke desperately struggles to live her life independently, on her own terms. A "feel good" story that should be read by everyone, not just adoptees.

Book lover

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching,Tender and Rational, January 31, 2010

By 

Donna Roth (Ann Arbor MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black Market Baby: An Adopted Woman's Journey (Paperback)

Black Market Babies is a touching tribute to Clarke's survival skills and her loving relationships against the dual backdrops of nature and history. What a stunning layering of stories. As an adult adoptee, the book resonated deeply with me. For others it is a story not often told or understood. Clarke's book is both a relective and expansive read.