Adopting Alyosha: A Single Man Finds a Son in Russia

I received this book with low expectations considering previous tactical books I had read on the subject. It stopped me in my tracks. I was so impressed by Robert's literary style and story-telling ability. He allows us to go through the entire process and share very personal emotions --discovering with him important lessons for anyone involved in international adoption. The frustrations and bureaucracy encountered are almost overwhelming, but well worth it. I loved this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone considering international adoption--single or married. However, I would also recommend it to anyone who would enjoy an inspirational true story about a man and a boy half-way accross the world who seemed destined to be family. I promise it will change your perspective on adoption and what it means to love. All we need now is the sequel. Thanks Robert for living and telling your story.(One more thought, if I were a TV producer, it would make a great Sunday Night Movie)

Patience is a virtue and author Robert Klose proves it in his story of a single's man's quest for adopting a son. As a mother of three I found myself laughing, crying and actually relating to his story. His never ending fight to find the love of his life, a son that is hundreds of thousands of miles away is breath taking. I had to make myself put the book down to do my daily activities, all the while thinking of the book and what would take place the next time I could read again. I would reccommend this book to anyone, of any gender or marital status, either wanting to adopt or all ready having children. Mr. Klose reminds all parents to live for today with our children, that every moment counts, and that good things do come to those who struggle, persevere and overcome!

Every one of us who has adopted internationally knows our experiences would make a good book (particularly ours, but let's not go into that here). Robert Klose actually sat down and wrote it.I would really recommend reading this at the outset of your adoption wait. You may think it's discouraging, but at the end you'll realize he didn't tell you anything you didn't need to know. If you have done this, you'll be nodding in recognition.Klose is also very upfront in describing the sometimes nebulous and shadowy nature of international adoption as he moves from pondering an Eastern European child to a Latino one and back and forth, through different agencies and facilitators, of varying reliability. He must have gotten very down at some points, though he keeps his sense of humor up (albeit in a very cynical way). The best moment (althogh he didn't think it was that funny, I did ... but then again it didn't happen to me) is when the referral video comes and the FedEx man, seeing only the agency's name and the nature of the package, assumes it's porn.He shows you how adoption agencies really work (or don't), being short $4,000 even after his Russian adoption to a facilitator who never delivered in Guatemala.This leads him to Russia in its Wild West days of the early 1990s. Some of the scenes are pretty grim, but unlike other such memoirists he doesn't stoop to condescension, mindful that this is the culture his son will look to for his roots. Having been to Russia on an adoption experience myself I can assure he's not making this up.In the end, after bureaucratic complication on top of absurd demand for money followed by logistical screwup, Alyosha (Alexey, really, but that's OK) comes home with him. I, too, would love some form of sequel, or some update on how they're doing.

Robert Klose has done an outstanding job informing his readers of the sometimes nightmarish process of adopting a child. Klose captures his readers attention immediately by indicating that the difficulties are underscored by his being a single male. Add to this the unscrupulous practices of some adoption agencies and you have a book that reads more like a favorite novel than a chronological explanation of his difficulties. Mr. Klose clearly details the roller coaster-like experience he had in trying to adopt a young boy from a variety of countries. He uses humor to tell this very serious tale to keep his readers interested in what is often a very frustrating process. Klose's book is a must for parents (single and married) who intend to adopt. The happy ending that follows his day by day experiences in Russia until Aloysha is finally his to take to America make the book an excellent read.

I greatly enjoyed reading this charming story of a single man's quest to adopt a son. Although the theme of this book centers around the trials and eventual triumphs of adoption, I highly recommend this book to all readers, whether interested in adoption or not. Robert Klose's personal story is rich with emotion, interesting true life characters, humor, and of course, Alyosha - the boy who calls Robert "Papa" from their very first meeting. This is a 'feel good' book that will leave you with the notion that love is boundless. Enjoy