Resource Spotlight: “Future Hypothetical Baby: An Unsentimental Adoption Memoir”
Resource Spotlight
brought to you by
a ministry of America World Adoption
“….a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12
Book review:
FUTURE HYPOTHETICAL BABY: AN UNSENTIMENTAL ADOPTION MEMOIR by Claudia Chapman
Looking for some great reading between shopping trips? Pick up a copy of Future Hypothetical Baby. The subtitle says it all – this is an unsentimental adoption memoir. Claudia Chapman and her husband are a British couple who knew that, due to a genetic condition, adoption would be their means of forming their family. They decide to adopt from Ethiopia, and the book chronicles their journey from home study to homecoming. Along the way, the author candidly shares the ups and downs, the good and the ugly, her fears and her joys. She does not hold back, and I found her honesty refreshing.
She is also a great writer who makes you feel the emotion behind the story. There’s no real drama or plotline here; as far as adoption stories go, this one is pretty straightforward with no sudden twists or turns. Yet it is a compelling story nonetheless, and all told from a Christian perspective of trusting in God through a long and difficult process. I especially appreciated her views on transracial adoption, loss the grief in adoption, honoring birth parents and birth culture, and the challenges of parenting two babies (spoiler alert – they adopt twins!). The book is an easy read and will deeply resonate with anyone who has adopted.
This article was written by Diane Hood, Clinical Supervisor with America World Adoption, and the Director of Social Services in our Georgia office. Diane has more than 20 years experience in the adoption field and she is a parent by birth and by adoption.
ACT (Adoption Coaching and Training) is a ministry of America World Adoption designed to support families through training, support groups, and individualized coaching. Explore ACT services on our website here, and reach out to us today for a free consultation to make a plan to meet your needs.