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186th out of 418 books
—
347 voters
Found
by
Jennifer Lauck (Goodreads Author)
Found is Jennifer Lauck's sequel to her New York Times bestseller Blackbird: A Childhood Lost and Found. More than one woman’s search for her biological parents, Found is a story of loss, adjustment, and survival. Lauck’s investigation into her own troubled past leads her to research that shows the profound trauma undergone by infants when they’re separated from their birt...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
February 22nd 2011
by Avalon Publishing Group
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In language stunning in its ability to describe a person, scene, and emotion in few words, Jennifer Lauck takes us into her world. The world of a baby wrested from her mother at birth, a child whose adoptive parents both die before she is ten years old, and a journalist, mother, and author who is forced to deal with feelings she doesn't understand until she comes to terms with her own adoption. This is more than just Jennifer's story. It is a story for anyone who has ever felt unloved or out of...more
Jennifer Lauck is an accomplished writer and a gifted human being. She proved herself as a writer in her previous books, including Blackbird and Still Waters. She has also proven herself as an extraordinary human being and woman. In addition to writing her brave, honest, and revealing memoirs, she has been a speaker, teacher, and investigative reporter.
Jennifer uses all of her gifts again, in this moving and inspirational memoir: Found. Here, she takes us on her journey in search of her birth mo...more
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This is Jennifer Lauck's fourth memoir about her difficult childhood, and I'm starting to lose faith. I believed everything she said in Blackbird and Still Waters and her story touched my heart. But in Found, she contradicts several parts of the story. I feel duped. Five seconds' worth of research on Google shows I'm not the only one.
And even setting that aside and allowing for the fact that memories are not historical records of fact, I just couldn't relate to the woman depicted in this book. I...more
And even setting that aside and allowing for the fact that memories are not historical records of fact, I just couldn't relate to the woman depicted in this book. I...more
This was another emotionally moving memoir from Jennifer Lauck. I've read 'Still Waters' and 'Blackbird' which I thought were really well done in the gut-wrenching heartbreaking way of horrible childhood memoirs.
'Found' is different from Lauck's other memoirs in that she spends more time sharing events from her adult life and relationships, specifically her journey to reunion with her birthmother.
Lauck shares some really interesting insights into adoption and the affect that separating babies...more
'Found' is different from Lauck's other memoirs in that she spends more time sharing events from her adult life and relationships, specifically her journey to reunion with her birthmother.
Lauck shares some really interesting insights into adoption and the affect that separating babies...more
Twenty years ago the only research on infant parent loss asserted that infants remember nothing of the event and so are not affected. It is only recently that we have begun to understand the effect loss has on preverbal children. Ms. Lauck's novel is a welcome personal account of the emotional effect the loss has on an infant. For those of us who have endured decades of silently experiencing the world through the lens of early loss, the book was riveting. I read it in one day. People who say "ge...more
I just finished this book and while I did not enjoy it quite as much as Blackbird or Still Waters, it was still an enjoyable read. I really appreciate Ms. Lauck's style of writing, it is not surprising that she was an investigative reporter. She gives me a good sense of the surroundings and I appreciate the fact that she sticks with her honest opinions of people and events, while freely admitting that others may differ in their recollection of the same people and events. I especially loved the l...more
I think that this book should have been titled "Raw" or "Lost". The story is written in a different venue to the authors other book "Blackbird"; however, it is the author's account of her traumatic adult life. I do not sense that in the end of the book the author is truly happy or has truly "Found" herself, rather I sense that she has struggled with an attachment disorder given the circumstances of her life. I gave her a 2 star rating for her lack of insight into other circumstances and her hard...more
In another great memoir, author Jennifer Lauck shares her powerful search for identity that led her through two marriages; a quest for serenity through meditation; and finally on a journey of discovery that led to her birth mother. The search for a sense of belonging, connectedness, and identity consumed her for many years.
She describes in much detail the feeling of never quite belonging, as she was shunted from one home to another after the deaths of her adoptive parents. She ended up being ado...more
She describes in much detail the feeling of never quite belonging, as she was shunted from one home to another after the deaths of her adoptive parents. She ended up being ado...more
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When I see the name,Jennifer Lauck, I looked to see if the book is new, or if I have read it. I just discovered Found on the "new" shelf the other day, which book slut that I am, I felt the pull towards "new." It's a great read, and more than that, Lauck shows courage, moral fibre, vulnerability, authenticity, and just tells a good story. I remember reading her second book and sad she got a divorce, but now, i see how mother loss, abuse, and just her path reveals incredible events.
I cheer for he...more
I cheer for he...more
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If I may generalize by only having read *reviews* of 'Blackbird,' Jennifer Lauck's unusual gift is to recapture the voice of the person she was, in writing her memoirs, and so it is often difficult to decide whether or not you like the writing, or her self at the time she was writing of; it is hard to know whether or not the writing is unaware, or it was her long past self, unawares.
There are many pages in the book during which I shook my head, nonplussed with Jennifer's simple and wide-eyed poi...more
There are many pages in the book during which I shook my head, nonplussed with Jennifer's simple and wide-eyed poi...more
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The first thing I have to say is how incredible it is to me that the neglected little girl from Blackbird grew up to be such a loving mother. Second thing, is that Jennifer's writing is so riveting. Blackbird, of course stands out as the star but even this book, I devoured in about two days of reading. It was important and impressive that Jennifer shared so much of her life and story with us.
Each of us are shaped by our life experiences and some of us learn and grow and others fall victim. Jenni...more
I read Blackbird years ago and loved it so much I ran out to get the second book and continuation "Still Waters". And I really enjoyed it. I was such a fan of these books that I leant them to someone and they were never returned to me and I was sad About the lost. Years passed and I thought often about the book "Blackbird ". That I went and bought them to reread them again ten years later, and I was so happy to discover that this author Jennifer Lauck had written another book called "Found". I b...more
This book advocates, via Lauck's personal story, the importance of attachment to the birth mother. I'm not an adoptee, but I am a parent and I just found myself crying over the poignancy of how Lauck finds this truth. he describes her resistance to that need for attachment and then relinquishes the reality that finding her birth mother was essential to her life's growth. I thought the book was smart, funny, lovely, and important. I recommend this book for all adoptees and hteir families for sure...more
I could not put this down. This made me completely rethink the way I have always viewed adoption. As a memoir, it hit all the notes: honest, sympathetic, gripping, and I was always rooting for author (which as it turns out, that means I was rooting for myself). This made me think about my own son and daughter and appreciate that connection. When you get to be the mom, you get to call the shots, and you can choose to abondon, embrace, or go somewhere in between. I'm really glad I get to be my kid...more
I loved this book. It was the sequel to BLACKBIRD. I never realized some of the emptiness of body and spirt that adopted children have. This book is about Jennifer's adult life -- her marriage, birth of her son and daughter, her subsequent divorce and finally meeting her "first mother" and her brother and sister. Being a writer makes the book very readable, as opposed to a non-writer trying to put down on paper their emotions. I definitely recommend this book.
Okay, this is probably not cool...a writer is supposed to be distanced from her work but I really love this book. I am so happy to offer it up as answer to Blackbird as well. Finally, FINALLY I discovered satisfying answers that meant something to me. It took eighteen years of my life to get the answers I was seeking, but I got them and I found a mother too.
I am now in successful reunion with my birth mother, first mother, original mother (and since I don't have a mother other than her now, als...more
I am now in successful reunion with my birth mother, first mother, original mother (and since I don't have a mother other than her now, als...more
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This book is written by Jennifer detailing her horrible life. To be honest I only made it half way through the book before I quit reading it. Jennifer's parents gave her up for adoption, yes that has to be hard, but you have to move on! This book had me so depressed and angry that she never tried to help herself or to grow as a person. Jennifer just hooked up with every man she met and tried to blame them for her horrible childhood. I can't imagine what her children have been put through. Good e...more
Sep 11, 2011
Rhonda Rae Baker
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
adoption,
children,
family,
healing,
legacy,
memoir,
own,
psychological,
second-chance,
writing
What a profoundly beautiful story. I will never get tired of this memoir. It speaks volumes to my heart and soul. Thank you Jennifer for sharing your life and passion with us...you are amazing!
If you are adopted or know someone that is, I urge you to read this book. As I sit here this morning, having just completed the story, my heart is overflowing with tears of gratitude for the insight Jennifer has shared. Holding nothing back, she has shared her soul and I feel connected with her because sh...more
If you are adopted or know someone that is, I urge you to read this book. As I sit here this morning, having just completed the story, my heart is overflowing with tears of gratitude for the insight Jennifer has shared. Holding nothing back, she has shared her soul and I feel connected with her because sh...more
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A friend from work actually saw Blackbird on my desk one night at work and left me a note: She loved the book and had a copy of Found for me to borrow, was I interested? Certainly! It doesn't disappoint. She has a very compelling story to tell. It was a very interesting read. (I should refrain from writing review of books I've read so long ago as I can't pull out any pearls...).
This book found me at the perfect time in my life. The true story of an adoptee searching for her birthmother evolves into a story about searching for her sense of self. Being an adoptee myself it has been difficult finding books on adoption that actually resonate with me, most revolve around the process of adoption and the adoption parents.
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This book is a sequel and I have not read the first book, but this book stands well on its own. It's about a woman's search for her birth mother and how adoption affected her life and her own experience as a mother. Got a new perspective on adoption which I did not expect. Looking forward to reading the first book.
I found the first half of the book to be a little re-hash of her first memoir and the middle to be too much like "Eat, Pray, Love." It was odd, because the last scene where she is describing taking care of someone else's children and getting to know and care for them was very touching, but then in the afterword, she describes how we shouldn't adopt children from all of these other countries. Interesting, because these children were in fact from other countries. Something she didn't notice? Or so...more
A memoir of a woman that had been adopted twice by not so loving families, but this fact does not deter her from loving her own children. She is finally Found, through the process of self discovery when she finds her biological family.
I good introspective view of an adopted woman.
I good introspective view of an adopted woman.
I think that Blackbird and Still Waters were better books. I was a little disappointed that many things from Still Waters were briefly repeated in Found. I don't think her views on adoption are true for everyone. I did enjoy reading about her reunion with her birth mother.
I found it difficult to understand the point of view of an adoptive child who felt completely lost and torn apart since she didn't know her birth mother. A good writer and communicator. Very honest book. I think it helped me to see how my own daughters may feel.
So, I have had the utmost privilege of being taught by Jennifer, and I have been counting down the days until her latest book was released. I knew it was going to be amazing, yet I was unprepared for just how amazing. And I don't say this lightly, I read a lot of books. A lot of memoirs. But the day this book came in the mail, I flipped it open to peruse the first page or so, then found myself curled on the couch eight hours later, having read the entire thing. I closed the book and felt...chang...more
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I picked this up and read it in one sitting, it was a very quick read. It reminded me of "The Girls who Went Away" only this memoir was more in depth. I read it without reading "Blackbird" first which wasn't a issue/concern at all.
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I am a loyal fan of Jennifer's books and this one is no exception. I may have liked it even more than her haunting first memoir, Blackbird. I suspect that comes from being to an age where I am settling into my own skin---much as she describes herself during the writing of this book.
I've had the privilege to participate briefly in a series of Q&A teleconferences with Lauck on writing, and one of my best friend's has met her in person at one of her workshops. I think what draws me into her st...more
I've had the privilege to participate briefly in a series of Q&A teleconferences with Lauck on writing, and one of my best friend's has met her in person at one of her workshops. I think what draws me into her st...more
A phenomenal writer who has had to overcome a neglected childhood. Her third memoir deals with her delving into her past and how it connects to her present day decisions.
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Jennifer Lauck is the author of four memoirs, which include the international bestsellers Blackbird,Still Waters, Show Me the Way and soon to be released Found by Seal Press. A former newspaper reporter and television producer, Jennifer now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her two children
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Jan 28, 2013 09:12am