I finally finished Anne Tyler’s book “Digging To America.” The fact that it took me several months has absolutely nothing to do with the book. In fact, it probably has a lot to say about the book. I’m rather famous for speedy reading. Give me a genre book and chances are I’ll have it down before the night is over. However, when I read books that make me really think about the world, I tend to read them a little more slowly.

Anne Tyler’s book follows two families who adopt little girls from Korea. The families don’t have a lot in common, except that they share the arrival day of their girls. The story follows the two families over many years of trials, tribulations and triumphs. It shows how two very different families bonded together and found that they weren’t really that different after all.

When you read the synopsis, you would think that this book is about adoption. By the time I read the last page, I knew that it wasn’t about adoption – it was about life. I was less fascinated by the glimpses into the adoption world (perhaps because I’ve lived them) and much more fascinated with the array of characters. I really enjoyed the descriptions of Iranian culture and reading about the real-life struggles of a mother trying to wean her child off the pacifier.

I encourage everyone to read it. Not because it’s about adoption, but because it reminds us that we are just normal people. Sometimes, I think people focus in on the adoption part of our lives and forget that we have very regular issues to address. This book reminded me that though adoption is a big part of my life, it is not the only part of my life. I was really relieved that Anne Tyler touched on adoption, but didn’t dwell on it – instead, she made the families the focus.

If you would like to comment, but not on this site, please e-mail me at adoptkoreablog@adoptionmail.com.