I don't think one ever recovers from losing a parent, no matter the nature of the loss. Losing anyone important to us comes with grief, and since parents are meant to be our foundation both biologically and socially, we mourn their loss most profoundly. In my case, both my biological parents are alive yet they … Continue reading The Never-ending Journey
As a child, I hated history class. All that pointless memorization. All those names of European explorers, battle generals, and document drafters that blended together in my brain. So many exact dates we needed to regurgitate, and for what purpose? In my high school World History class, I balanced a cheat sheet on my thighs … Continue reading Our Histories
Those who follow me here may know that I run a website called Adoptee Reading that catalogs books on adoption either written by or recommended by adopted people. I've had some ideas rolling around in my mind lately for how I might try to expand on the site, which I hope to be able to … Continue reading The Value of the Written Word
I came across a thread on Twitter the other day by a history teacher named Seth Cotlar that I can't stop thinking about. Here's how the thread begins: The conservative freak out about the 1619 Project (of which Cotton is just the latest example) is not about history. It's about memory; about what parts of … Continue reading Re-Creation of History
Thanks for asking. Lyrical and informative, An Adoptee Lexicon is a glossary of adoption terminology from the viewpoint of an adult adoptee. Contemplating religion, politics, science, and human rights, Karen Pickell, who was born and adopted in the late 1960s, intersperses personal commentary and snippets from her own experience with history and statistics pertaining to … Continue reading What’s It About?
Karen Pickell: Between 