A Ghost at Heart's Edge: Stories and Poems of Adoption (Paperback)

by Susan Ito (Editor), Tina Cervin (Editor), Jacquelyn Mitchard (Foreword) "Over his right shoulder, a small cloud appears, from nothing to something..." (more)
Key Phrases: double lifeline, Ana Paula, Bobby Dunn, Miss Cline (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“A generous and prismatic anthology of short stories and poems. . . As promised, the phantoms of mystery mothers, fathers, children, grandparents, and grandchildren do shimmer between the lines of many short stories and poems, the ghosts of could-have-been, the spirits of what-if. . . A vital and unforgettable reading experience for everyone, whether he or she is part of the adoption plexus of not.”
-Donna Seaman, Hungry Mind Review

“A beautifully compiled and evocative collection of writings about the adoption experience which expertly weaves the voices of all members of the adoption community into a tapestry of shared expressions of pain, loss, and joy.”
-Lynn C. Franklin, author of May the Circle be Unbroken: An Intimate Journey into the Heart of Adoption

Product Description
Fifty short stories and poems reveal the sometimes heartbreaking, often affirming tales of adoption. Written from the point of view of birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees, this unique anthology spans nations and cultures.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books; 4 edition (October 14, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556433239
• ISBN-13: 978-1556433238
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #886,949 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thankfully lacking in sap!, November 8, 1999

By A Customer

The main thing that distinguishes this anthology from many other books about adoption is its literary, unsentimental approach. Unlike the usual humourless depictions, this book goes for depth instead of decibel level, mind over melodrama. It also includes some oft-ignored perspectives such as that of a birthfather, birth-grandparents, adoptive grandparents and adoptees whose reunion stories are not the spangly stuff of the 6 o'clock news. As a contributor to the anthology, I am proud to find my work in such good company. As a reader, I appreciate its literary treatment. As an adoptee, I'm moved by the unflinching accounts.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Literate Adoption Reader, April 12, 2001

By	readernyc "readernyc" (New York City, NY USA) - See all my reviews

As as adoptive mom & as a writer, I find it hard to locate books that satisfy my yearning for both literary fulfillment AND insight into the "triad" that is Adotpion. "Ghost at Heart's Edge" is that rare book; It's elevating intellectually, an imaginative opening (lots of them) while giving deep thought to what adoption, at its "heart" entails.

This is not a "reunion" book, good though those are, nor is it a psychological tome, good though theory can be for understanding. Rather, this compendium is literature of a high order and insight with unusual depth. I've carried my copy, literally, from East coast to West, from Canada to Hawaii, hoping to meet one of the editors and get it signed. Along the way, I dip in and out of these poems and stories, and am never anything but fully immersed. Highly recommended, and not just for those who are in Adoptive world, but for us with a hole in our hearts or, better said by the editors, with a Ghost at the Heart's Edge, which includes virtually all of us. Yes? Yes!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Head and shoulders above most adoption-related books!, January 27, 2000

By A Customer

Wow! What an achievement, it bowled me over, I stayed up until 3 am and had sand eyes all day the next day. Heartfelt thanks.

Like reading the songs from my own heart.