A Peacock or a Crow: Stories, Interviews and Commentaries of Romanian Adoptions

by Ivor Irwin, Daniela Ileana, Victor Groza

Book Overview

A long-awaited, popular guide to events, policies and cultural influences on Romanian adoption. The authors consider recent Romanian history and the effects of institutionalization on adoptees and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1893435024
• ISBN13: 9781893435025
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Williams Custom Publishing
• Length: 195 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.1" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

A Peacock or a Crow?

My daughter was adopted from Romania at 18mths of age weighing only 13 lbs. She is now a happy, very healthy 8 year old who is ahead of grade level in school.After reading Professor Groza's book, I find it to be very informative and an excellent representation of the situation at that time in Romania. I see no reason to believe why people would think that Mr. Groza's research would be anything less than accurate. I myself participated in his study and have no reason to lie.We all knew the risks involved in such an adoption. I myself have no medical records for my daughter. I think the real reason some people are writing bad reviews is because they did not get that "Gerber Baby" or the perfect child.I wonder if you all realize the unnecessary stress you are causing prospective adoptive parents with your negativity and the terrible disservice you are doing to the tens of thousands of children still waiting for homes. It is so sad to see some peoples vendetta against one man hurt innocent children.I would recommend this book to anyone interested in pursuing a foreign adoption. It tells the whole story bad, and good. AND THERE IS ALOT OF GOOD!

Helpful Book for All International Adoptive Parents

There are many how-to-adopt-quickly books but very few that truly prepare prospective parents for the adoption experience and what comes later. "A Peacock or a Crow" is a comprehensive overview of Romanian adoption by Americans, but it is so rich and thorough, it is an excellent choice for anyone adopting a child from any other country or culture. We not only need this book in the US adoption community, we need more books of this type, the ones that convey the whole adoption experience with honesty, instead of sensationalism. -Rita Laws, co-author of "Adoption and Financial Assistance: Tools for Navigating the Bureaucracy"

Vital reading for Romanian or International adoption.

As the major reviewer for the Comeunity website, I have read many books on adoption, but only a few are as touching and evocative as A Peacock or a Crow. At the heart of this book is a deep compassion for the children of Romania, and a concern for those others who also care about them. A Peacock or a Crow is vital reading for those interested in Romanian adoption; it will also be influential for people interested in international adoption.. The issues it raises about the impacts of instutionalism and ethics of adoption practices are important to adoption from any country, even if the circumstances are far from being as extreme. The history of adoption in Romania and the impact of the history and circumstances on the people involved in adoption provide the central focus. Personal stories of the parents' adoption journeys to Romania alternate with factual but evocative chapters on the history of Romania, institutionalism and impacts on children, special needs of these children, and the history of Romanian adoption. Compassion for the children of Romania permeates the A Peacock or a Crow. While doing his part to highlight the special needs and intense problems that many of the children and families raising them face, Victor Groza is optimistic about the positive changes and healing that adoption brings to their lives. His take on institutional impacts is worthwhile reading for anyone interested in adoption from Eastern Europe, or in special needs and older children adoptions.

The Truth At Last!

As the parent of two adopted children, I would like to commend the authors of "A Peacock or a Crow" on their uplifting view of Romanian adoptions. The book is well written, easy to read and full of information. I feel that so far all that has been published is negative information, if only for the reason that it attracts more attention. I would strongly urge any parent of internationally adopted children or anyone considering international adoption to read this book first! Romanian adoption is not, as some would have us believe, all gloom and doom.

Finally, the truth about the JOYS of Romanian Adoptions!!!

I applaud Victor Groza for finally writing a book that sees the glass of water as half full instead of half empty. As the parent of two adopted children - one from Romania the other from Bulgaria I feel it is time that someone tell the truth - international adoptions while sometimes start out on a sad note can have the happiest of endings. My children are both very beautiful, intelligent and well adjusted children. To say that the information in his book is inaccurate and unprofessional is a terrible disservice to a truly remarkable and dedicated person who has devoted his life to giving the public accurate and informative information regarding international adoptions. It is my daughter who appears in the before and after pictures in the book. She is now a seven year old and in the first grade and functioning at the appropriate level for a first grader. She is also in the 70th percentile for height and weight. I think that it is about time some people realize that maybe it is them and not their child that has problems. Especially the person who feels their true identity was not fully hidden. It would be a great tragedy to have this book taken off of the market/shelf. It represents the first real efforts anyone has made to present Romanian adoptions positively. Victor is constantly researching medical and psychiatric data and to say it is misleading or he did not consult with "real" experts is an insult to all of us who have had successful international adoptions.