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The Russian Word for Snow: A True Story of Adoption
Janis Cooke Newman first saw the baby who would become her son on a videotape. He was 10 months old and naked, lying on a metal changing table while a woman in a white lab coat and a babushka tried to make him smile for the camera.
Four months later, the Newmans traveled to Moscow to get their son. Russia was facing its first democratic election, and the front-runner was an...more
Four months later, the Newmans traveled to Moscow to get their son. Russia was facing its first democratic election, and the front-runner was an...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
February 12th 2002
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published 2001)
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I was really excited to read this book but it was just a huge flop for me. She made me angry from the very beginning when she said "'He's ours, he's ours, he's ours!' he sang, dancing around the bed with his penis flapping." If I were her husband, I would be appalled that she wrote that for the whole world to read. It disgusts me just to read it. Later towards the end when talking about other children being adopted she described ones without arms, crossed eyed, or other issues as being "not whol...more
I shouldn't have read this one right after Locas, because they both present similar situations: two women, one an illegal immigrant, and one a wealthy white woman, both who want to have babies, but can't. However, the tone of Locas was so matter-of-fact, while the narrator's voice in this book can come across as entitled and whiny, especially when she threatens to reduce her Russian adoption coordinator's pay by 100 dollars for every day he doesn't produce the signatures for the adoption. While...more
I couldn't wait to read this book! And now that I have, I can honestly say it was a complete and total let-down. The self-absorbed author begins the book with, "I never wanted to have children." Yes, she clearly changed her mind over the course of time, but as someone who has spent their entire life dreaming of having children, it immediately turned me off.
I continued reading nonetheless, respecting her immediate honesty and candor...and hoping upon all hopes that it would get better. Unfortuna...more
I continued reading nonetheless, respecting her immediate honesty and candor...and hoping upon all hopes that it would get better. Unfortuna...more
I am a sucker for books on adoption, especially international adoption. Takes you through her story of not wanting children at all, then trying to conceive,falling in love with a Russian baby, and then the trials of being in Russia to adopt. Very welll written.
I loved the story. It teaches a lot about international adoption and Russian culture. The life style over there is completely different to America!! I once e-mailed the author about my reaction to the story, and she responded. Great read!
Heartfelt story of an American couple adopting a Russian baby. After much frustration, months of paperwork and a full month of waiting in Moscow, they are finally able to bring their little boy home.
I enjoyed this look into what goes on when you adopt a child in another country.
Nov 14, 2012
Sara
added it
Moving story of one mother's search for parenthood far from home.
Thanks Beck! That was a good book! Easy to read! Hard to imagine living thru what they lived thru!!
This is a beautiful work on foreign adoption and the trials that adopting couples face (especially with semi-hostile governments). The author illustrates the frustrations and humor of working through a Russian adoption agency, and the struggle to adopt their son from an orphanage. I found the book difficult to put down and felt like I had a better understanding of adoption, motherhood and the necessary strength of a couple to get through trials. A+
I had read and enjoyed some of Janis Cooke Newman's travel writing a few years ago and was excited to know that she had a book in the works. The Russian Word for Snow is the story of the author and her husband's trip to Russia to find and adopt their young son Alexander. The story is fine, the outcome heartwarming. It didn't really hold up to my expectations based on her earlier essays.
This is a lovely heart-warming story about an American family who adopts a little boy from a Russian orphanage. His Russian name meant 'snow.' I'm a sucker for books like this and if I had more money, I would have loved to adopt kids from other countries. It's expensive and you have to jump through so many legal hoops. Kudos to Angelina Jolie for doing it!!
May 01, 2013
Rebecca
marked it as to-read
Apr 28, 2013
Makayla Bissell
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Apr 15, 2013
Amy Simpson
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Apr 05, 2013
Ashley
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Mar 24, 2013
Jessica
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Mar 15, 2013
Jewls
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Feb 10, 2013
Melissa
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review of another edition
Shelves:
international-adoption,
russia
Feb 01, 2013
John Simmons
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Janis Cooke Newman is the author of
Mary
, a historical novel about Mary Todd Lincoln. Mary was chosen by USA Today as the best historical fiction of 2006 and was a finalist for the LA Times First Fiction award. She is also the author of The Russian Word for Snow, a memoir about adopting her son from a Moscow orphanage. Both books are available in paperback.
Author photo copyright Chris Hardy.
More about Janis Cooke Newman...
Author photo copyright Chris Hardy.
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Sep 01, 2010 06:40am