Customer Reviews

Hungarian Rhapsody: An Adoption Story

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ordered an autographed copy of this book online from the author's site [...] and could not put it down. This odyssey of a pair of Hoosiers involved with international adoption is both hilarious: a car that sounds like a weed-whacker, attempting to withdraw enough money out of a Hungarian ATM, the colorful people lining the main thoroughfare - and heart-breaking: so many kids, so much adoption red-tape, Christmas is petting a bunny taken through the orphanage in a small wagon, orphanage workers doing their best to try and make a home for these children, and the Derks' goodnights to the orphans.
I cannot get the image of the ones left behind out of my head.
There needs to be a sequel. How are the kids doing in school? Were there problems after the kids got to America? How long did it take them to adapt - or was it effortless? How do they feel about their home - is the little boy who liked to put things together and take them apart well on the road to a physics scholarship yet - and are there more sisters or brothers in Hungary?
The parts of this book that are funny are absolutely can't-breathe-for-laughing funny. And the parts that are sad...

This is the amazing story of a midwest couple who adopted four children from Hungary, only to return again to adopt a little boy and then AGAIN to adopt a little girl. That brought the number of children in their household to eight!

Told from the father's perspective with a warm sense of humor, this is a great book for prospective adoptive parents because it tells the real story about what happens when Americans head overseas.

Contains many good tips and advice.

A tale of unbelievable bureauratic battles, tiring travels, great expense, language difficulties, and determined love involved in adopting four Hungarian sibling orphans, followed by two more siblings in later years. A heartwarming story, told with humor, about the children,their dedicated care givers in the Hungarian orphanage, and the determined adopting parents who would not be discouraged by the many obstacles in their path.
If you liked "Daddy Longlegs" you'll love this book.
A page turner.

Found this book to be very inspirational and truthful. Makes you want to run out and get into the adoption process. The authors genuine love for children was amazing and his wife had to be his strongest and soundest support. What a team!!!!
There were a few spelling mistakes throughout the book and I was wondering why he chose to write the hungarian words phonetically rather than correctly?
Also found it rather pleasing to have him be so complimentary of the hungarian adoption home in spite of the conditions the children were forced to live in! A very touching story!
The book on the whole is a must to read, not only for parents considering adoption but as an inspiration for todays families on how to love and care for their OWN children could not put it down.

What an amazing story this is... an Indiana (or Illinois?) couple with no great income or means goes out and adopts seven kids... I could not put this book down. It is an honest portrayal of one family's story... wow.

One by one the Derk children capture your hearts as you read James Derk's tale of how a couple of ex-newspaper people expand their family again and again to make sure orphaned siblings in Hungary can grow up in one loving household. A fun mix of narrative and e-mails home to friends and family, Derk's touching account includes tearful goodnight kisses to a lineup of boys in a spare orphanage alongside wry humor at dealing the bureaucracies of both Hungary and the US. A good read that reminds you there are good people in the world, doing generous deeds out of love.

This is a good story by another journalist but is too heavy on the facts of their three Hungarian adoptions and lacking in the emotion of the events. The author's personality is so loud among the lines of the story, it almost drowns out the story he is trying to tell. In reading this book I finally got the meet an ugly American.