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balladofreadingqueer's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
debbiesbooknook's review against another edition
5.0
This is a true gem of a book. The writing is beautiful (though at times difficult and sad). I highly recommend this book to anyone who feels hopeless and frustrated with our current president and his administration. The collection is full of powerful stories of love and hope - especially during this time of uncertainty.
I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
mkduds's review against another edition
4.0
I kept putting this book down as others stole my attention. But , wow. The last three essays of the book (and so many more) are so powerful. This book was conceived right after the election of the impeached occupant of the White House and came out in the first half of 2017. I am reading it in the run up to 2020. In the last week, my state has seen ash falling from the sky, 70+ days in a row of 90+ degrees, halted by a day of snow. This book is not only about hope but a call to action. We have less than 50 days until the election. Let’s do this!
Appreciations to André Henry for recommending this in his newsletter.
Appreciations to André Henry for recommending this in his newsletter.
rachelrenbarger's review against another edition
3.0
Not much hope... mostly lamenting. While reasonable, not what I came for. Also wish it had even a hint of practicality for those who need advice during this era.
thatpaintedpony's review against another edition
5.0
This collection of epistolary essays is a delightful counter to a world that seems to have gone mad. This diverse collection of writers speak to their anscestors, their contemporaries, their children and future generations of hope, resilience, grief and disappointment and how to turn those feelings into action. Written as a reaction to the 2016 election of Trump, these essays are still, sadly, just as revelent today as they were in the moments after the election.
adfj897's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I found this book in a sociology section of a book store. I fell in love with that entire section.
Standout:
I absolutely loved “Dear Henry” by Lisa See. It isn’t for me to find people with Asian backgrounds who take their hardship and translate that into acceptance and advocacy for other minorities...
I started this in January and almost finished it... then school came crashing down and I set it aside until May. Now we’re in quarantine!
I think it was very fitting read a book that addresses fear, trauma, and ignorance considering the circumstances. The little trials of hope can move us to go beyond ourselves. The structure of sentences really constructed the positive or negative outlook that I took way. Maybe we will be better one day.
===
“...no soloist can fully capture the music of our times; we also need symphonies. Because there are many truths, many ways of knowing, many perspectives from which these times are experienced, and it is precisely this dazzling range that gives our voices power...” 8
“You weren’t afraid to work with anyone who shared the same goal, even if they didn’t share your experience” 19
“...because you stood in your power, I can stand in mine” 19
“...and still too many of us seek white acceptance” 20
“Hatred denies us the power of conversation, of exchanging thought... if you look at me with rage, you will not know me” 27
“I’ll say that we must meet the eyes of another human being, whether or not that person looks like us” 29
“I came to believe that light inside came from the pride of knowing you were part of a long line in history that could survive” 43
“Our salvation is not somewhere out in cyberspace. It’s inside us; that’s where the seeds begin” 48
“Can liberalism remain incurious and nose-holding and remain liberalism?” 118
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own” - Audre Lorde
“...the migrant’s journey is heroic, and its heroic because it is carried out on behalf of others, door families and communities” 220
“Resist the urge to grow a shell. Don’t let fear convince you that hardness is good” 224
“...being curious is admitting that you don’t know, but also that you want to know. That what you don’t know is worth knowing” 225
Standout:
I absolutely loved “Dear Henry” by Lisa See. It isn’t for me to find people with Asian backgrounds who take their hardship and translate that into acceptance and advocacy for other minorities...
I started this in January and almost finished it... then school came crashing down and I set it aside until May. Now we’re in quarantine!
I think it was very fitting read a book that addresses fear, trauma, and ignorance considering the circumstances. The little trials of hope can move us to go beyond ourselves. The structure of sentences really constructed the positive or negative outlook that I took way. Maybe we will be better one day.
===
“...no soloist can fully capture the music of our times; we also need symphonies. Because there are many truths, many ways of knowing, many perspectives from which these times are experienced, and it is precisely this dazzling range that gives our voices power...” 8
“You weren’t afraid to work with anyone who shared the same goal, even if they didn’t share your experience” 19
“...because you stood in your power, I can stand in mine” 19
“...and still too many of us seek white acceptance” 20
“Hatred denies us the power of conversation, of exchanging thought... if you look at me with rage, you will not know me” 27
“I’ll say that we must meet the eyes of another human being, whether or not that person looks like us” 29
“I came to believe that light inside came from the pride of knowing you were part of a long line in history that could survive” 43
“Our salvation is not somewhere out in cyberspace. It’s inside us; that’s where the seeds begin” 48
“Can liberalism remain incurious and nose-holding and remain liberalism?” 118
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own” - Audre Lorde
“...the migrant’s journey is heroic, and its heroic because it is carried out on behalf of others, door families and communities” 220
“Resist the urge to grow a shell. Don’t let fear convince you that hardness is good” 224
“...being curious is admitting that you don’t know, but also that you want to know. That what you don’t know is worth knowing” 225
adfj897's review against another edition
4.0
I found this book in a sociology section of a book store. I fell in love with that entire section.
Standout:
I absolutely loved “Dear Henry” by Lisa See. It isn’t for me to find people with Asian backgrounds who take their hardship and translate that into acceptance and advocacy for other minorities...
I started this in January and almost finished it... then school came crashing down and I set it aside until May. Now we’re in quarantine!
I think it was very fitting read a book that addresses fear, trauma, and ignorance considering the circumstances. The little trials of hope can move us to go beyond ourselves. The structure of sentences really constructed the positive or negative outlook that I took way. Maybe we will be better one day.
===
“...no soloist can fully capture the music of our times; we also need symphonies. Because there are many truths, many ways of knowing, many perspectives from which these times are experienced, and it is precisely this dazzling range that gives our voices power...” 8
“You weren’t afraid to work with anyone who shared the same goal, even if they didn’t share your experience” 19
“...because you stood in your power, I can stand in mine” 19
“...and still too many of us seek white acceptance” 20
“Hatred denies us the power of conversation, of exchanging thought... if you look at me with rage, you will not know me” 27
“I’ll say that we must meet the eyes of another human being, whether or not that person looks like us” 29
“I came to believe that light inside came from the pride of knowing you were part of a long line in history that could survive” 43
“Our salvation is not somewhere out in cyberspace. It’s inside us; that’s where the seeds begin” 48
“Can liberalism remain incurious and nose-holding and remain liberalism?” 118
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own” - Audre Lorde
“...the migrant’s journey is heroic, and its heroic because it is carried out on behalf of others, door families and communities” 220
“Resist the urge to grow a shell. Don’t let fear convince you that hardness is good” 224
“...being curious is admitting that you don’t know, but also that you want to know. That what you don’t know is worth knowing” 225
Standout:
I absolutely loved “Dear Henry” by Lisa See. It isn’t for me to find people with Asian backgrounds who take their hardship and translate that into acceptance and advocacy for other minorities...
I started this in January and almost finished it... then school came crashing down and I set it aside until May. Now we’re in quarantine!
I think it was very fitting read a book that addresses fear, trauma, and ignorance considering the circumstances. The little trials of hope can move us to go beyond ourselves. The structure of sentences really constructed the positive or negative outlook that I took way. Maybe we will be better one day.
===
“...no soloist can fully capture the music of our times; we also need symphonies. Because there are many truths, many ways of knowing, many perspectives from which these times are experienced, and it is precisely this dazzling range that gives our voices power...” 8
“You weren’t afraid to work with anyone who shared the same goal, even if they didn’t share your experience” 19
“...because you stood in your power, I can stand in mine” 19
“...and still too many of us seek white acceptance” 20
“Hatred denies us the power of conversation, of exchanging thought... if you look at me with rage, you will not know me” 27
“I’ll say that we must meet the eyes of another human being, whether or not that person looks like us” 29
“I came to believe that light inside came from the pride of knowing you were part of a long line in history that could survive” 43
“Our salvation is not somewhere out in cyberspace. It’s inside us; that’s where the seeds begin” 48
“Can liberalism remain incurious and nose-holding and remain liberalism?” 118
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own” - Audre Lorde
“...the migrant’s journey is heroic, and its heroic because it is carried out on behalf of others, door families and communities” 220
“Resist the urge to grow a shell. Don’t let fear convince you that hardness is good” 224
“...being curious is admitting that you don’t know, but also that you want to know. That what you don’t know is worth knowing” 225
mashman's review against another edition
3.0
A little redundant towards the end but pretty mind boggling how now (another election year) most of the rhetoric is still the same.
I can only hope that 4 years later we have learned something and that our outcome will be different come November. I’m not going to even go there in my mind with the letters that could be written if that is not our country’s destiny.
Thanks for the gift a long time ago @bailey priest. It fell right back into my lap at the most opportune moment in time
I can only hope that 4 years later we have learned something and that our outcome will be different come November. I’m not going to even go there in my mind with the letters that could be written if that is not our country’s destiny.
Thanks for the gift a long time ago @bailey priest. It fell right back into my lap at the most opportune moment in time
chrissyj's review against another edition
4.0
This wasn't something I could read straight through, even though it isn't very long. It captured a moment in time from so many angles, and it was hard to read while noting all the ways things are worse, and/or unchanged, from more than a year ago. Some of the letters I "liked" the most were by:
Hari Kunzru
Aya de León
Celeste Ng
Peter Orner
There were others, but I didn't remember to note all of them.
Hari Kunzru
Aya de León
Celeste Ng
Peter Orner
There were others, but I didn't remember to note all of them.