Rating: 
Summary: I commend the author for being honest...
Review: but I can't say that I learned too much from this book other than how not to proceed with an international adoption. She seemed to have approached the adoption from a purely emotional standpoint, with very little objectivity. She and her husband were the worst guests in a foreign country that I've read about in awhile, and I truly hope that their son is not suffering the effects of his parents' self-centeredness.All of that said, I give this book three stars for its great writing style; it really was a good read. Also, this is one of the only books on the market dealing specifically with Russian adoption, and I appreciate the author's attempt to fill some of that void. If you are interested in reading one of the best books I've read on contemporary Russia, post-Soviet era, read The Fire Escape is Locked for Your Safety by Molly Baier. It's an American lawyer's account of her trip across Russia, from the Ukraine to Vladivostok, and includes some hilarious interviews with different Russians.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent and reassuring memoir
Review: Having read every word of The Russian Word for Snow, I want to thank the author for putting her journey as an adoptive parent into words. It is one of the few books by an adoptive parent whose quest for a child led her to Russia, the birthplace of hundreds of thousands of children who need homes, and also the place where we found our own son. Ms. Newman offers her personal story from making the decision to adopt, to bringing her son home and beginning the attachment process. She should be commended for her honest and sincere efforts to tell us how she felt at every step of the way. As an adoptive mother of a child who came home with us at approximately the same age as Ms. Newman's son, I found her memoir reassuring. She offers adoptive parents a glimpse into the future they hope for by showing us how the attachment between her and her son developed, despite the harrowing circumstances they all endured to bring him home and become a family. Reviewers who don't appreciate this wonderful book ought to have their heads examined.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyed it!
Review: I am an adoptive mother of a son from Russia. Even though my experience wasn't exactly like the author's it evoked emotions and experiences that I had in Russia. Her descriptions of places and things were exactly like I remember them. I would recommend this book to anyone that is going through a Russian adoption. We all know that it is a leap of faith and some are bigger leaps than others.
Rating:
Summary: I could not put it down...
Review: I am astonished at Janis Cooke Newman's eloquence in this book. As I read it, I felt myself a personal observer in her and her husband's incredible journey. Her imagery and beautiful expression of humility touched me deeply. I felt as if I was not only reading a book about her Russian adoption experience, but a book about awareness, acceptance, patience and love. I was just sorry the book had to end. I am looking forward to reading more from Janis Cooke Newman.
Rating:
Summary: A great read!
Review: I bought this book because Janis, the author, was my writing teacher. Once I started I couldn't put it down! It was great! She does of a wonderful job of putting the ups and downs of the adoption of her son onto paper. It will take you to the busy world of russia and into the place she can't wait to take her son from. It also deals with her honest fears of motherhood and her capability of raising that little boy she knew only from a photograph. I totally recommend it for a wonderful read that will leave you longing for more.
Rating:
Summary: Honest look at risks & rewards of international adoption
Review: I found this book to be a compelling account of a woman's adoption of a Russian baby, told from the perspective of someone who started out never wanting to have a child and who gradually became a woman who passionately wanted to be a mother. The first section of this book is really a memoir of her transformation, one which was propelled into high gear when her mother died. She starts to yearn for family, become aware that there is more tho life than her career and even a marriage. Then there is a section which many families struggling with infertility will identify with - from an early pregnancy which results in a tubal pregnancy and miscarriage to unsuccessful (and costly) bouts of invitro fertilization, all written with often heartbreaking candor. Only gradually does adoption seem like a possible choice. The couple is still seeing fertility experts, in fact, when they attend an adoption seminar and fall in love with a little boy in a video. Speaking as someone who has adopted an older child from overseas, I was glad to see a book on adoption which did NOT gloss over the risks, as well as the rewards, of international adoption. For instance, after seeing an early video of her son-to-be, the author is warned that he might be "serverely delayed" by some well-meaning friends, putting the adoption into crisis until a doctor looks at the video and offers some reassurance. Be assured this book does hava a happy ending, closing with a look at her young, happy and healthy son and his life today. While other reviewers have criticized this author for disparaging Russia and Russians, I think it is to her credit that she portrayed her adoption saga from her own viewpoint and didn't flinch from honesty. The reality is that there CAN be delays and unexpected setbacks when adopting internationally. Ther reality is that many children DO have health issues or at least temporary developmental delays. The reality is that some Americans are thrown by life in Russia and have difficulty understanding the customs of that country. I am glad this author described her experience from a very personal viewpoint. Others may have a different experience and I hope that more books on overseas adoption are written, each as unique as the child who was adopted - and the families who adopted that child.
Rating:
Summary: A True Memoir that resonates with all who've adopted
Review: I have just finished reading Janis Cooke Newman's "The Russian Word for Snow" It is not my story, yet it is. I laughed and cried, had all sorts of memories rush back at me, and reveled in the clarity and eloquence of the author's words. I recognized myself and my sons, their orphanages and caregivers, and even some of the Russians and Ukrainians I met on my adoption journeys----yet I didn't know any of the people Janis met, didn't go to the same orphanage, have never met Janis and her husband Ken, who "knew no children's songs." But their story is our story in ways that only those of us who have adopted can know. The book is frank in its portrayal of the author's experiences, but the images she paints portray both the absurd and the sublime in very sensitive, perceptive ways. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Eastern European adoption especially, but also to those fascinated by the ways that families come together. Beth M. Waggenspack, Ph.D.
Rating: 
Summary: Dont waste your money
Review: I have read the book and I dont feel that its not an honest reflection of the typical adoption. I adopted last year but we did our research and it was a wonderful experience and I have a lot of respect for the Russian people. In my opinion this book was just an attempt to make a quick buck by writing a sentimental tear jerker. Unfortunately this book will turn some people off from adoption and ultimately it will be the children that suffer. If you must read it, wait for it to go to your local library and spend your money on another adoption boook that will guide you through your research to adopt ,there are a lot of them out there, or donate it to an orphanage, either way it will be a better use of your money
Rating:
Summary: An honest story of one couple's Russian adoption experience
Review: I just had to comment on this book, not only because I loved it, but because it has been so widely criticized by other adoptive parents of Russian orphans. I, too, adopted a boy from Russia, and I could relate so well to most of what Ms. Newman wrote here. We entered Russia during a rather tumultuous time for international adoptions. When the Minister of Education failed to show up for our court hearing, I went through the heart wrenching anxiety that we would be sent back home without our baby - another failure after 3 years of trying to conceive. Tensions mounted between my husband and I and feelings of anger and frustration arose against the Russian people who didn't seem to care that we spent our last dime to adopt a child they didn't want. Of course we had a happy ending, and our little boy is the absolute joy of our lives. We are planning our second adoption from Russia this year and are anticipating returning to Russia to take in more of their culture and history. I think people who scorn this book fail to see that Ms. Newman and her husband persevered when most people would have given up so they could have THIS boy. They also forget the anxiety the couple must have felt that they may never have the boy that they loved, especially with political unrest brewing in the background. To Janis Cooke Newman, I say Bravo for your candor and honesty! I think you and your husband are heroes for "sticking it out" in what seemed like a hopeless situation. Your love for your son is immense.
Rating:
Summary: completely loved this book
Review: I read this book in two days then passed it on to a friend who finished it in one.
I love how this author writes - her story just gripped me.
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