This fascinating book is a collection of Ms. Small's essays, written over a two year period. The essays look at adoption from a psychosocial or environmental perspective. They outline the history and background of American adoption culture and explore the hidden but powerful religious, social and economic factors that affect adoption's collective image. They are often critical of child welfare's adoption premises, policies, and practices.

The author believes that adoption is an industry that has largely gained power from the desperation, neediness and powerlessness of the birth parents, infertile couples, and adoptees that it serves.

We see through these essays how society has invested the adoption industry with an image comprable to that of a sacred cow. Criticism has customarily been taboo. Recent reforms were forced upon the industry by societal shifts. Despite protestations to the contrary, the undercurrent of negative feelings and attitudes generally accorded the adoptive family as a variant, and adoptive status in particular, remain much the same.

You'll find an abundance of compelling arguments that support the theory that secrecy in adoption breeds shame.

Any one of these interesting essays could serve as an excellent starting point for stimulating discussion among various adoption groups. They would be extremely valuable when talking with adoptive families, child welfare professionals, support groups, and the media, because these essays come from the most important person in the "adoption mystique," the adoptee herself.