****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Every one of us who has adopted internationally knows our experiences would make a good book (particularly ours, but let's not go into that here). Robert Klose actually sat down and wrote it.I would really recommend reading this at the outset of your adoption wait. You may think it's discouraging, but at the end you'll realize he didn't tell you anything you didn't need to know. If you have done this, you'll be nodding in recognition.Klose is also very upfront in describing the sometimes nebulous and shadowy nature of international adoption as he moves from pondering an Eastern European child to a Latino one and back and forth, through different agencies and facilitators, of varying reliability. He must have gotten very down at some points, though he keeps his sense of humor up (albeit in a very cynical way). The best moment (althogh he didn't think it was that funny, I did ... but then again it didn't happen to me) is when the referral video comes and the FedEx man, seeing only the agency's name and the nature of the package, assumes it's porn.He shows you how adoption agencies really work (or don't), being short $4,000 even after his Russian adoption to a facilitator who never delivered in Guatemala.This leads him to Russia in its Wild West days of the early 1990s. Some of the scenes are pretty grim, but unlike other such memoirists he doesn't stoop to condescension, mindful that this is the culture his son will look to for his roots. Having been to Russia on an adoption experience myself I can assure he's not making this up.In the end, after bureaucratic complication on top of absurd demand for money followed by logistical screwup, Alyosha (Alexey, really, but that's OK) comes home with him. I, too, would love some form of sequel, or some update on how they're doing.Adopting Alyosha, is a beautiful, heart-warming story of a single man, having to break through countless barriers, in order to adopt a son in Russia. Robert fought 3 long years but never lost sight of the prize. His strength, courage and perseverance in dealing with the Russian bureaucracy is a testament that those willing to work extremely hard and not give up, even when it looks like there is no possibly of achieving one's goal, is well worth battle.!As usual, Robert Klose writes with feeling, with honesty, with humor. His lengthy ordeal in navigating the often treacherous currents of the international adoption underworld holds many lessons. Adoption isn't for the faint of heart. Although his experiences dealing with agencies, agents, and "free-lancers" were not always positive, Klose managed to stay sane and focused on his goal, and retained his good sense and laconic humor through numerous disappointments and betrayals. Only one addition would have made the book more enjoyable for me -- more details about things he did with his son to ease the transition from a Russian orphanage to a suburban childhood in Maine. Perhaps the author will give us this in a later book.Sharing this book with my son helped me show him that we need to be mindful of what we have,instead of what we don't. The descriptions of Russia, and all of Robert's experiences of trying to adopt as a single man were so vivid; it was like you were almost there with him. The people he writes about sound amazing, like a supportive family. It takes strong, kind people to help out with such things. Between the tears shed for all his struggles, and the laughter that is unavoidable because of his lovely humor, you really don't want to put the book down, until you are done. I recommend this book for any kind of readers. you will not regret it. My son and I enjoyed this book immensely, and will remember it for years to come.I bought this book because something in the title and cover picture seemed to speak of a very special story, and so it was. In the sharing of this story, Robert Klose enables the reader to accompany him on his 2 1/2 year journey to find and adopt a son, not with a fully devised plan, but with a true desire to become a father. We feel his deep longing, understand his frustrations with money, learn the difficulties of being a single man in an adopting world world that doesn't recognize single men, grapple with foreign customs and regulations, impatiently wait to hear from offices in faraway places, and commiserate as he strives to be a real person, not just a case number within a large file.This is a book that won't be put aside; he has you with him all the way. As times runs out, you stay involved in his search until the exciting end, when you can feel the warmth of the boy's small hand slipping into the larger one of a new father. Strong love and a touch of humor have fueled this journey and its writing, a story that will stay with you long after the book is closed.I came across this book through a good friend of mine. I'm 27 years old, and as a young woman who looks forward to hopefully one day being blessed with a little family of my own...this book touched my heart. I laughed, I cried, I even found myself getting extremely anxious! Makes you stop a take a look at the life you do live and really appreciate it. It really isn't easy for everyone...and I think a lot of people take that for granted. The love Robert clearly had to offer, and desire and determination he showed us all sounds like the recipe of an amazing man that truly deserved to be a dad. I am so happy that he remained patient through it all and got his little family in the end. I highly recommend this book, and already passed it on to friends. :)Excellent read. I read this book after he presented to my family relations lecture at UMaine. I'm glad I could read more of the story he told us in class. Wonderful.Very moving story. An exciting read. An insight into the trials and tribulations of adoption and how patience and endurance can ultimately overcome all. Extremely well written. I truly loved this book.Andrew Dronjak.Auckland.New Zealand.
