I thought that the essays in this collection were heartfelt, to say the least -- at times gutwrenching. However, the book's editing is so unilateral as to leave me wondering just how universal the feelings presented in these essays are.

All the women who contributed to this collection were at the same maternity home. As one part of their couseling and education they were required to write a letter to the child they were placing for adoption -- [some of] the letters that were chosen for this collection. As another part of their education, they attended religious training. So, many of the letters are quite religious in nature. Most are extremely emotional -- emotional language that may not be typical of every day life nor even of these particular women, since it was part of the "exercise" to explore this in their letter writing.

In looking to read how birth parents feel, I found this book too uniform -- same facility, same training, same counseling per author -- to tell me whether or not this is indicitive of a typical birthmother response, or a typical Korean birthmother response. I'd have loved to hear from birthmothers from other institutions or hospitals, with varying religious beliefs, pre- and post- education, and at different times in the process.

It was clear to me from the introduction that the editors had a large part in conveying the birthmother experience -- the way they chose the letters, the way they organized them, how few letters were chosen from many, how they tell the reader to respond to them, and their own viewpoints plainly stated in ways that were entirely consistent with the material presented. I found the editorial comments at the start nearly too consistent with the material in the book, as it told me just how much the editors' own feelings influenced their choices.

It's unfortunate, because I think this is a stellar idea for a book. But the one thing it lacked was the precise element I sought -- How do birthmothers tend to feel? Not, How do birthmothers at Ae Ran Won who have received certain training and instruction to write their feelings tend to feel, but what is their true experience?

I have a couple of concerns about this book. As a mom who has lost a child to adoption, I am familiar with the "writing a letter to your child" right after placement and filling up the pages with words of hope. However, often times, this is not the full scope of the reality of what has happened to the mom, and it is a once done thing, and is frozen in time. It doesn't seem to go into depth of the sense of loss that these women will feel later, how they will be affected negatively by the loss of their child, despite their greatest hopes forced into making this decision through lack of any real options by profit making agencies.

I would love to read a book that is about mothers who've lost children in other countries twenty years after placement (or so) to talk about their experience and how it affected them for the rest of their life.

As an adoptive Mom, I have read countless books on adoption. None have touched my heart like this one. This book gives dignity to the choice of relenquishing a child for the sake of their future. It shows the internal battle that rages within a young mother who is forced to make a decision because of her situation & cultural stigmas. All the stories take you to Ae Ran Won & show you that before we were Momma, there was someone who will forever have left an indelible mark on the hearts of our precious chosen children. A MUST READ FOR ANY ADOPTIVE PARENT!!

As a Korean myself (not an adoptee)I am familiar with the dramatic ways that Koreans express their feelings. While this makes me somewhat skeptical of the emotions expressed in this book, there's still enough information in the book that is well worth the read. For example, How do these single moms end up in the situations they find themselves in? Why do they feel they need to give up the baby? What are their backgrounds? What do they hope for their babies? I found this book very helpful in answering these questions for me. I recommend this book to all adult adoptees, adoptive parents, potential A-parents, social workers working with Korean adoptions, etc.

I have 3 children adopted from Korea and this book was a wonderful read that brought me to tears. I already had lots of information on adoption in Korea, but this offered me a greater insight on culture and the stigma surrounding a very complex situation. I applaud the bravery of the birthmothers. I cannot imagine the great sadness they must have giving up someone they loved for nine months and knowing they can never see that person again. This book allows you to feel what they are feeling. Thanks for a wonderful read.