"There should be more stories about adoption."

[lonelybrit]

Passing on a serious book rec: 'Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?' by Jeanette Winterson.

An autobiography about the author's childhood, her family and growing up. It starts out in particular focussing on the relationship with her mother, who you realise is another very unhappy troubled soul. You know from the start that the author is adopted (when her mother was displeased with her, a favourite phrase was "The devil led us to the wrong crib"), but the 'adoption issue' doesn't really rear its head until over halfway through. The reason being that the author herself didn't really face it until later on in life when circumstances made it unavoidable.

Anyone with a serious interest in adoption needs to read this book. It is bravely written and brutally honest.

As an adoptee myself, despite our circumstances being insanely different, I was surprised to realise that the author had managed to articulate feelings/thoughts I have been struggling to properly verbalise for some time. I may not agree with everything she says or the conclusions she draws, but in reality these are not the point of the book. The power of what she's feeling is, and that is what I can relate to.

So, yes, in conclusion, please read this book. It is a very worthwhile education.

Comments

[chlare.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec! I'm a big fan of her fiction but had no idea she'd written an autobiography. I'm certainly curious about it now.

[lonelybrit]

I've come from the other direction in that although I've heard of her books, I've never actually read any of them. I think I will give them a go now as I'm definitely curious as to how her writing's evolved over the years.

[chlare.livejournal.com]

My two favorites are The Powerbook and Written on the Body. The Powerbook I've read several times and have come away with different things each time. The combination of poetry and prose and storytelling is really lovely. Her language is great.