THE FAMILY NOBODY WANTED

by Helen Doss ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 22, 1954

..... adds up to 12 children, in less than 12 years, and this account of their adoptions, while quantitatively staggering, is also a demonstration of Carl Doss' belief that ""God created all men in his image"" since the Doss' many children are of many racial strains. With no child of their own, Helen Doss managed to extract one child from an agency (they were not considered ""financially capable""), and they got (1) Donald. Then Helen angled for the ""unadoptables"" of mixed backgrounds and got simultaneously- (2) Laura, a Eurasian, and (3) Susan, who was sickly, while Carl studied for the ministry. For Donny's sake, they took (4) Teddy, Filipino-Malayan- Spanish, but too young for Donny, and Helen could not say no to (5) Mexican-Indian Rita. Taro, a foster-child, stayed with them for a year- but Donny still wanted a brother, size six, and instead got (6) three year old Tommy- while Carl, who had thought things had gone far enough long since (he was earning $2800 a year as a minister) brought home a new baby (7) Alex. Two little Indian children stayed for a time, but (8) and (9) were two Hawaiian girls. At nine, Donny started writing letters to the orphanages for a brother, his age, and this time they splurged and took on (10), (11), and (12), two for Donny and again a baby. Chickenpox and measles in this family were a real siege- Helen caught the measles- and then took a summer off in college; a Life photographer made up a family album; prejudice had to be countered- and the many shifts from parsonage to parsonage also keep this family mobile. Definitely crowds the market of Anna Perrot Rose's Room For One More, but it should find a warm welcome nevertheless.

Pub Date: Sept. 22, 1954

ISBN: 155553502X

Page Count: -

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1954

Categories: NONFICTION