The Girls who Went Away : : the Hidden History of Women who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade

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My own story as an adoptee -- Breaking the silence -- Good girls v. bad girls -- Discovery and shame -- The family's fears -- Going away -- Birth and surrender -- The aftermath -- Search and reunion -- Talking and listening -- Every mother but my own.
This book brings to light the lives of 1.5 million single American women in the years following World War II who, under enormous social and family pressure, were coerced to give up their newborn children. It tells not of wild and carefree sexual liberation, but rather of a devastating double standard that has had punishing long-term effects on these women and on the children they gave up. Single pregnant women were shunned by family and friends, evicted from schools, sent away to maternity homes to have their children alone, and often treated with cold contempt by doctors, nurses, and clergy. The majority of the women interviewed by Fessler, herself an adoptee, have never spoken of their experiences, and most have been haunted by grief and shame their entire adult lives.--From publisher description.

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Heartbreaking and fascinating! submitted by pamhockey25 on July 2, 2012, 2:54pm As an adoptee from this era, this book was of high interest to me. The way society viewed and treated these women was unimaginable. I feel great compassion for these women who really were not given a choice at all. This book will give you a whole new perspective on what these women went through, what they were told, how their families treated them. Even if you are not part of an adoption triangle, I think the glimpse of society at this time is fascinating. If you were given up for adoption during these years, I it is a must-read. I applaud Ann Fessler for recording and transcribing these oral histories. She found a great cross-section of women who were willing to share these stories that need to be told. I couldn't put it down. Read it!

ann fessler submitted by hcf on July 28, 2014, 10:58am wow ~ this was sure an eye opener

Loved It submitted by kecolyer on August 3, 2019, 12:36pm I loved this book for a variety of reasons. First, it not only told stories, but made compelling historical arguments to match. The women, while sharing the common identifier as a birth mother, still had distinct stories and experiences. This is an important story that needs to be told to both men and women alike. My only comment is that it can be the slightest bit repetitive at times.