United States, Contemporary 

"Beware: This extraoridnary work of fiction is for courageous readers only. Beautifully written, dazzingly conceieved, it makes us think--hard--about what it is to be a parent." -- Lou Ann Walker, author of A Loss for WordsDeborah and Chris Latham have everything they could possibly want: a warm, loving marriage, a beautiful daughter, and a stable life in a sweet resort community on Long Island. When they hear about a small Romanian boy who is languishing in a depressed Eastern European orphanage, neither Deborah nor Chris hesitates for an instant. They want Mihai for their own, and they know they can help him. if any family has enough love to spare, it is the Lathams.In a matter of months, Mihai becomes Michael Latham. Deborah, Chris, and their three-year-old daughter, Caroline, take him in eagerly, knowing that soon enough he will truly feel like a member of the family. But as time passes, Michael grows more unpredictable, careening between violent behavior and emotional withdrawal. Living with such difficulties in their midst has its cost for all of the Lathams and as each family member responds in their own way, and for their own reasons, the questions begin to surface.How much love does it take to save a child from his past? Is there such a thing as unconditional parentallove? Should a family's survival take precedence over that of one of its members? Where do you draw the line? And at what cost?With unflinching honesty, A Member of the Family asks questions most parents never dream of considering. Eloquent and provocative, this exquisitely written novel may break your heart, but you will never forget it. - from Amzon