Lost Son? A Bastard Child's Journey of Hope, Search, Discovery and Healing

Rating:
Summary: As an adoptee, I could not put this book down!!
Review: In "Lost Son," Adams takes you on a heart wrenching journey of loss, pain, reunion, and joy. He leaves no stone unturned when he illustrates the horrific inadequacies of the foster care system-which were plentiful. He points out the inadequacies and places blame where blame is due. He recounts his suicide attempt, sexual identity struggles, and reunion joys and nightmares. As a survivor of four institutions and eleven foster homes, Adams is without a doubt an expert to say the least. I was moved by his description of the love he felt (and received) by one foster family and his wonderful experience at the famous Boys Town. When he later found out that this foster family tried to adopt him several times, but was denied without explanation, I became angry. His spirit always shines through regardless of the horrors and loss he has endured in 50+ years. He is never the martyr. The horror hits again when his birth mother, after a twelve-year reunion rejects Adams for being gay and the relationship abruptly comes to an end. Again, Adams strength and courage shine through as he removes the negative forces of his life and deals with an unfaithful partner after 22 years, and the epidemic of AIDS that has touched his life immeasurably. The message that is loud and clear is that we must accept the circumstances of our childhood's and move on while at the same time not accept abusive or toxic people in our lives today. He shares with us his lessons in life and how he has worked through the painful parts. Touched by foster care or adoption or not, we can all take heed of his advice. Triad members and mental health professionals need to read this book to learn about the issues that are general to adoption but specific to foster care survivors. Lawrence, your message will not soon be forgotten by this reader for sure.

(...)

Rating:
Summary: Now I get it...
Review: Lawrence P. Adams has penned his autobiography. Some may say "Who is he?"...after reading this amazing book I feel as if I really know who Lawrence P. Adams is and I also know that he now knows who he is, too.
Some might say, "Why is this so important?"
To this I say, it is more important than anything else. You see, Lawrence P.has overcome a pitiful past with grace and class and strength. He is to be commended. Living in numerous foster homes, going from place to place with his possessions in a paper bag and ending up at Boys' Town could have left him broken and bitter. But this remarkable individual overcame his less than ideal upbringing to become one of the finest people I have had the pleasure to get to know via email.
I am an adoptive mother and Larry has encouraged me through a rough time of feeling the loss of my daughter after her birth relative reunion. His caring ways and wisdom have given me insight into the mindset of the adopted/foster child. But it was nothing compared to the indepth glimpse I experienced by reading this incredible autobiography.
Two thumbs up for this must read! Now I get it!

Rating:
Summary: Now I get it...
Review: Lawrence P. Adams has penned his autobiography. Some may say "Who is he?"...after reading this amazing book I feel as if I really know who Lawrence P. Adams is and I also know that he now knows who he is, too.
Some might say, "Why is this so important?"
To this I say, it is more important than anything else. You see, Lawrence P.has overcome a pitiful past with grace and class and strength. He is to be commended. Living in numerous foster homes, going from place to place with his possessions in a paper bag and ending up at Boys' Town could have left him broken and bitter. But this remarkable individual overcame his less than ideal upbringing to become one of the finest people I have had the pleasure to get to know via email.
I am an adoptive mother and Larry has encouraged me through a rough time of feeling the loss of my daughter after her birth relative reunion. His caring ways and wisdom have given me insight into the mindset of the adopted/foster child. But it was nothing compared to the indepth glimpse I experienced by reading this incredible autobiography.
Two thumbs up for this must read! Now I get it!

Rating:
Summary: Review of: 'LOST SON? A Bastard Child's Journey of Hope, Sea
Review: Review of: 'LOST SON? A Bastard Child's Journey of Hope, Search, discovery, and Healing' by Lawrence P. Adams

I had met Lawrence, (Larry) Adams on a message board online. I liked his attitude and the things that he wrote about why he wrote the book. I went to his web site and saw that all proceeds from the book were going to help children, and so I bought his book to help his cause. When it arrived 5 days later, I opened the package, but I was really not going to read it because I thought it would be too sad of a book. The next day I decided to open the book and couldn't put it down. My husband was home with a hurt back, and after hearing me make noises as I read the book, he began to ask questions so I ended up reading it to him. We both got angry at some of the people in the book, especially the one's who made this little boy sleep on the porch and take his meals out there. We also didn't like the social worker who took him to boys town and didn't even bother to talk to him.

As you get into the book you realize that it's not just a book about his life as a youngster, it's about how people treat other people and how there should be some kind of check to make sure everyone is alright. This book reminds you that every state could use an overhaul, and it makes you remember about stories in the paper and on TV about children who have been literally LOST in the system. Here is a writer who is standing on the wall, willing, able, and wanting to protect.

What is remarkable about the way this book is written is the fact that he moves between times so easily, making the book very easy to read.

I was telling my children about the book, and I was doing alright until I got to the part about a letter he wrote to his mother, I broke down then, and could hardly talk. Who should read this book? Every parent, anyone who works with the public, teachers, social workers, police, you can't help but remember how you felt when you were the ages he talks about in the book, you remember how innocent you were, and it makes you want to protect everyone too.

This book is a serious work, by a serious person who has made it out, he is a success, this is a book that should be talked about, who knows, maybe some little boy who isn't sure about his own future could learn about the trials and how Larry came out triumphant, it could give someone hope. I continue to hope and pray that Larry is on the news and in more newspapers, and is invited to speak so much that he becomes a household name, so that kids will hear about this man who is working on their behalf.

Hats off to Lawrence P. Adams for this good work!

Chris Bartholomew
Evangelist