This is a wonderful book! As someone who had very little knowledge about adoption I really learned a lot! There are interviews with people on all sides of adoption which was very interesting. I’m so glad I read it and highly recommended to everyone!
-Anne Wallgren
This book is a well told story from all points of view on Adoption. The author brings to light with her story and via interviews with others. The truth of adoption. Its very well written. As a person who discovered my adoption very late in life and a person who’s life again changed with a DNA test. I found this book compelling and I couldn’t put it down. Thank Jean.
-kathleen kirstein
Jean Kelly Widner’s Adoption Paradox is a deeply moving and eye-opening work that educated me on a topic I hadn’t realized I needed to understand. It is forthright, poignant, and compelling—a must-read for anyone touched by the adoption or foster care system. In fact, I would argue this book holds critical relevance for society as a whole.
Widner honors and gives voice to the diverse perspectives of adoptees, birthparents, adoptive parents, foster children, and caregivers with grace and compassion. Throughout, she places the well-being of the child at the center of the conversation.
As an educator, friend, and family member of adoptees, I believe this book equipped me to better understand the human elements of adoption—the paradox of loss and longing, joy and trauma, love and belonging, identity and healing. Although the author does not shy away from the painful realities and systemic challenges that surround adoption and foster care, she also offers a sense of hope—advocating for justice, reform, ethical practices, while providing practical resources for those directly affected by adoption.
This is a book that will stay with you long after you finish reading. Bravo to the a-uthor!
-Dawn J
Jean Widner does and excellent job of bringing together knowledge from research and data, and then punctuating it with real voices and stories. She is an adoptee with a ‘mostly’ positive upbringing. Jean does not shy away from exposing the truths – both good and bad. Her outlook throughout the book is honest and positive. As an adoptive mother myself, I really appreciated how Jean honored everyone in the triad- adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents. Often adoptive parents feel vilified when they dive into learning more about the Paradox of Adoption. This is an important read and leaves you feeling educated, informed and wanting to take action. Well done Jean!
-Linda R. Sexton
Knowing the author personally and always respecting her integrity and business acumen, I expected this to be amazing. But I was not prepared for the emotional roller coaster ride I would personally take in reading and absorbing the hard facts. I am very glad to be better educated and have some knowledge of a system that truly needs and deserves more of our time and attention. I now have an even more profound respect for Ms. Widner. Very worth the read.
-Jill Lagan
This book, with it’s broad-minded approach and detailed, compassionate interviews, moved me so deeply I just felt compelled to read on and on. Each section puts the challenges facing adoptees and their parents in a new light for me. This an important book and so readable. I have begun a re-read.
-Amazon Customer
