Gathering the Missing Pieces in an Adopted Life [Paperback]

Kay Moore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2002

What do you say to a mother you've never seen? True stories of trial and triumph in the search for birth families by adoptees. Written by an adopted Pulitzer Prize nominee. Only a few days before I boarded the plane, I for the first time in my life had looked at the face of an adult whom I physically resembled, the author writes. When photos of my birth mother arrived in the mail, they were greeted by shrieks of joy and wonder by my husband and young son, who peered at the face that stared at him from the photograph and mused, 'So that's where I got my big brown eyes. Even surrounded by the love and security of the only family she had ever known, Kay Moore wondered constantly about her unknown past. Would her birth mother ever be willing to meet her? Would her adoptive parents think she was ungrateful for needing so desperately to know? How would changing attitudes and new laws affect her search? That search led Kay to other adoptees, adoptive parents and birth families. She discovered that her feelings were the shared legacy of people everywhere who want the whole truth about who they are. Their stories, told here, yield a wealth of inspiration and practical direction, which Kay presents with a sensitivity possible only from one who has been through it herself. She knows what questions you'll need to answer for a successful search and includes a listing of resources you can use along the way. You'll see just how to pull together the missing pieces in your own past and fully discover your God-given heritage.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Former Nashvillian Kay Moore has written a book, Gathering the Missing Pieces in an Adopted Life, that has to rank at the top in authenticity and sensitivity on a complex subject.. . . Her search for her origins led her to other adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth families, and she discovered that her feelings were the shared legacy of people everywhere who want the whole truth about who they are. In her book, she shares some of these stories along with the fascinating account of her own journey into her past, which has all the drama and mystery of a novel." -- Nashville Banner, February 10, 1995

"Gathering the Missing Pieces in an Adopted Life by Kay Moore is a welcome and long overdue addition to Christian literature. Through its pages, she creatively weaves other adoption stories together with her own to present an honest and realistic look at the lifelong challenges of families touched by adoption." -- Jewel Among Jewels adoption newsletter, Summer 1995

"Hers is a moving story and must reading for anyone involved in adoption as an adoptee, adoptive parent, birth parent, or other near relative of an adoptee. The reason I found the book so fascinating was its ability to remind me of how extremely important it is for each of us to learn to feel or empathize with those whose struggles in life are different from ours." -- Holmes Road Church of Christ Heartbeat, Nashville, TN, February 1995

"I found it to be well written, informative, and heartfelt. . . . One emotion after another takes hold of the reader's thought and heart in such a way as to give the reader an insightful and intimate view into the feelings of all parties involved.. . . For this reason alone, it is a valuable resource for anyone considering an adoption search." -- The Christian Index, Georgia, August 10, 1995

"If adoption has ever been or may be a part of your life or the life of anyone close to you, you need to read Gathering the Missing Pieces in an Adopted Life. This book . . . will be a valuable, readable resource for all those related. -- "The Evangel, First Baptist Church, Nashville, TN

"Seldom does a writer with these credentials have such a gripping personal story to tell.. . . She tackles questions head-on in one of the most insightful, heartfelt accounts in print of the trails and triumphs of adoption." -- Baptist New Mexican, April 1995

"She shares tips that work for adoption-related issues and a list of groups, agencies, books and other resources. most important, she helps you discover your God-given heritage in full." -- The Baptist Standard Texas

"She weaves the personal journey of what she experienced in her search for her birth parents into a highly readable manual on the varied faces of adoption. Moore focuses on the feelings of everyone involved--the birth mother and father and their families, the family that adopted the child, and the adoptee with the whole range of emotions that many people who've been adopted deal with.. . . She sensitively describes the potential feelings of everyone involved and gives illustrations of persons who have had both positive and negative experiences. As an adoptive mother I highly recommend the book." -- Provident Book Finder, March/April/May 1996

"While Moore's search has been a model for the best-case scenario, through her book, Gathering the Missing Pieces in an Adopted Life, she has tried to give others looking for their birth parents a way to deal with potential obstacles." -- The Garland, Texas News, May 18, 1995 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

The true story of a Pulitzer Prize nominee searching for her biological mother produces an insightful guide to those on their own search. Includes resource lists for adoptees and their parents.; --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Hannibal (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0929292685
• ISBN-13: 978-0929292687
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,072,776 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Parenting & Families > Adoption