Given Away

Korean Adoptees Tell Their Stories

By: Glenn Morey, Julie Morey

Narrated by: Jeena Yi, Allison Hiroto, James Chen, Cindy Kay, Glenn Morey

Length: 3 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1955, an American farming couple saw a film about the thousands of Korean children orphaned by the Korean War. Through a special act of Congress, they were authorized to adopt eight of these children - which marked the advent of international adoption. Since that time, there have been over 170,000 children adopted out of Korea to more than 30 countries. And the practice of international adoption has expanded across the globe, with over a million children being adopted out of their countries of origin. 

What happens when children’s lives are re-set by adoption? When they’re sent to new countries to grow up with families of a different race, a different language and culture? How have Korean adoptees navigated early trauma, family, and their own identity? 

Korean adoptee Glenn Morey and his wife, Julie Morey, spent six years interviewing 100 Korean adoptees from around the world. This stunning Audible Original is comprised of 15 first-person accounts - an international journey through the personal memories and experiences of abandonment, relinquishment, orphanages, aging out, and inter-country adoption from South Korea. Together, they are a triumph of resilience and survival. To appreciate these extraordinary lives, you need not be adopted or an adoptive parent. You need only be human.

©2020 Glenn Morey and Julie Morey (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

Compelingly important

I had a student who eventually became a work mate. He was Korean but had an English first and last name and a Korean first name. I enquired of him and his answer was simply "I was adopted." He never said more. I never asked more. I was so clueless until I listened to this presentation.

Very touching and eye-opening

Their stories are heartbreaking and very touching, I had tears in my eyes quite a few times. A very important and well made documentary about a topic that definitely deserves more awareness and reflection in the society.

Moving accounts

This is probably my favorite Audible Original of hundreds I have read. Very open and honest interviews. Eye opening and heart wrenching.

Excellent Read!

I never thought about what children truly feel about being adopted into other countries. We tend to think they're getting a better life and leave it at that, but there's so much more to it. We think kids will forget eventually. This book proves otherwise. The vividness with which the adoptees recount their stories amazed me. Read this book! It will really open up your understanding in a whole new way!

Thank You.

This piece shares such important stories from brave individuals and I’m so grateful to them all for sharing. It opens up interesting questions and experiences of interracial and transcontinental adoption I would have never thought of before. As someone who has considered adoption as a way to grow my family in the future, these stories are invaluable.

Truly awesome work by the writer

This is a very good book with full of different stories of different people. This book should change minds of many about family and life overall.

Eye Opening; Insightful

Glenn Morey and his wife interviewed 100 Korean adoptees. Fifteen of those interviews make up this audio book. They share their thoughts and feelings and experiences. I found it very interesting. A glimpse into an experience and culture that I was not very familiar with. I felt it was a very good compilation. Very insightful. Hard to put into words the emotion that this production brought forth.

Compelling/Inspirational

I loved it. What a book. Just great. A picture of humanity and some kind of way to prove how we all people are linked to each other in a world that is more and more accessible to us.

touching

a wonderful way to experience the stories of these people's lives. It was worth listening to. I wanted more.

amazing

wow great listen. very touching. will be looking for this authors video on this story.