Yes, I still read books. But it takes a lot longer than digesting the constant flow of streaming media. In any case, this book, which isn't new, was a revelation. It made me think, a lot, about the hew and cry from the right that "all unwanted children can be adopted". What these narratives show is that the issue is far, far more complicated than one might imagine. There is the sense by the adopted child that their birth mother didn't want them, that somehow they, as children, were unworthy. There is guilt and anger and shame from the mothers. There are few women here who said, unequivocally, that this was the right thing to do. But most felt pressured, lied to, manipulated. They felt a profound loss of control. Many turned to drugs or alchohol and dangerous pursuits. They felt a sense of being inherently "bad" and that dictated their moods, their mental health, their choices, their lives. This event, which they were told was momentary, colored their world, and their personalities, for decades to come. With some facts but mostly stories, it is hard to read these very personal tales and not feel moved. The role of women in society (then and now) underlays much of the fabric of this book and makes one sit back and wonder about the role of motherhood -- how it is portrayed, how it is in actuality. A powerful read, this one appeared in my "Little Free Library" and I could not be more appreciative. Not easy, but perhaps necessary. Check it out.
