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| Click Here for Link to MAP's book! |
There are so many elements that constitute MAP. His experience as an American orphan turned domestically adopted person touches even me—a transracial and intercountry adoptee. I found that I resonate with his essay “God is Electric, Jesus is Electrochemical” the most.
In the effort to obtain adoption documents, like so many of us adoptees naturally do, he returns to the Catholic orphanage for answers and, as he says, “some sort of vague accountability” in pursuit of his real family.
“All I really wanted
was a picture of my father or my mother. All I wanted was my sister’s address
or my brother’s phone number. Something. I wanted my fucking family back.”
Somehow,
influenced by orphanage portraiture, pleasantries and propaganda (seasoned by
authoritative “suspicion and disapproval”), he maintains enough composure to be
able to relate his tale authentically.
“I
have been pushed through the phases of Catholic family farming: baptism, Sunday
school, first communion, and confession. I have come out on the other end
mangled and dubious.”
I truly
believe that the reader will be able to connect with at least one of the many
layers that constitute MAP’s identities. The
Last Invisible Continent makes me think of all the domestically adopted
citizens camouflaged within the United States who so deserve to be
acknowledged.
Pick up the
book and live vicariously through MAP. And if you’re adopted give yourself
permission to search for a portion of your own truth. Take this collection of
essays along with you as a newfound friend.
You can’t
dismiss great writing. I am now a MAP fan! Click HERE for a link to his book on Amazon!
Janine Vance
