West Meets East: Americans Adopt Chinese Children [Paperback]

Gail Gamache (Author), Liming Liu (Author), Richard Tessler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0897896580 | ISBN-13: 978-0897896580 | Publication Date: May 30, 1999

Who are the new families that are appearing on city streets, in suburban malls, and at Fourth of July celebrations? The parents, in their 40s and 50s, are obviously Caucasian, and their very young daughters are obviously Chinese. This book is about these new American & Chinese families that are being formed through the mechanism of international adoption.

The first survey of bicultural Chinese-American children, based on personal experience and rigorous research, both documents these adoptions and examines their implications for American society. This book will be of great use to couples considering or living with adopted Chinese children, professionals in social welfare and education, and scholars and other researchers involved with American multiculturalism.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“West Meets East is a good reference and a must read for individuals and families who are considering adopting from China as well as for professionals who deal with such families.”–Intimate Relationships, Family, and Life Course

Book Description

Examines the new American & Chinese families being formed throughout the country.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Praeger (May 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897896580
• ISBN-13: 978-0897896580
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,465,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read for Parents and Others, February 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: West Meets East: Americans Adopt Chinese Children (Hardcover)

From both personal experience and quantitative research, these authors do an excellent job of defining and exploring the phenomenon of Americans adopting Chinese babies.

For adoptive parents, it serves as a chance to hear about what other parents feel about raising their children bi-culturally. For those otherwise interested in adoption from China, the book also offers an overview of the adoption process and descriptions of the excitement and strain it places on families.

Highly readable and accessible.

As an adoptive parent, I plan to save this book for my daughter to read when she becomes older (late teens or adult) as a reminder of social contexts and beliefs of adoptive families prevalent during the time of her adoption.

25 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Portrait of Adoptive Parents Good but Incomplete, September 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: West Meets East: Americans Adopt Chinese Children (Paperback)

This book is an interesting overview of parents' widely varying approaches to raising children adopted from China. However, the authors seem to assume that virtually all adoptive parents are white and that real biculturalism is impossible. On the West Coast, at least, that's not true. Many Asian American parents have adopted children from China, and quite a few children are attending bilingual/bicultural schools. It's too bad Asian American views on bicultural socialization have been largely left out of the picture.