Chosen: Living with adoption

Thanks to all who participated on which a marvelous work. My family continue to benefit from the works of Perlita Harris.

Excellent and well put together

I have a friend who has a chapter in this book which provided my main reason for purchasing it. I found it incredibly moving.

As an adoptive mother I continually search for reading material that helps me understand what my children might be going through or why they grieve. Chosen provided me with several lightbulb moments as I listened to the stories from over 50 adopted adults - and yes, the writing was so honest and clear, I could hear the writers' voices. The ongoing battle with self-esteem from knowing they were given away at birth, the struggles to attach and belong in adoptive families, the struggles with identity for the transracially adopted adults in particular, who felt as if they didn't really belong to their birth or adopted race,the emotional conflict of search and reunion - it's all here in this bursting-with-life book.The overall message in Chosen is one of redemption and survival, of a tough start that has been overcome, of living lives enriched from the experience that comes with adoption, of, and I quote from editor Perlitta Harris' remarkable introduction: "moving forward as complete humans, rather than living as a wounded person."The greatest message, for me,was the particular importance of the role of adoptive parents in supporting their children through the loss of birth parents and the acknowledgment of that very specific, primal grief.A collection of diverse and extraordinary voices, Chosen is highly recommended for anyone touched by adoption.

Full disclosure, I'm one of this anthology's contributors. That said, I'm very moved by the unique voices I hear as I read this book, published by BAAF, Britain's largest non-profit organization dealing with adoption and foster care. The book includes over sixty stories, divided into five sections: Who Am I? Challenges and Opportunities; Rites of Passage; The Meaning of Family; and The Lifelong Impact of Adoption. What the contributors have in common is that we were all adopted in the UK between 1934 and 1984 but what moves me so much is the variety of perspectives represented, especially those of adopted people of color. This high-quality volume is fascinating reading and an excellent addition to anyone's list.

I found this book very accessible, evocative and fascinating. Reading people's personal accounts humanises an experience which might otherwise remain only in fantasy. It helps readers to think about what it might be like to walk in another's shoes. Highly recommended.

Very interesting book of personal accounts giving different experiences and perspectives on adoption. Essential reading for anyone interested in the subject.