Reviews

The Body Papers: A Memoir by Grace Talusan

zicariofsilverkeep's review

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5.0

A very difficult read emotionally but so insightful

- race
- sa
- mental health
- generational trauma and the ignorance of its existence or the fear of projecting that on to possible future children
- intersectionality
- difference between being black/Asian in America vs the Philippines
- the socioeconomic divide between class in Manila
- cancer
- judgement from society in the Philippines vs America on having children
- children in general
- what it means to be a mother and feel fulfilled in that regard
- weight
- how a body can be used as a shield

alyssal's review

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reflective slow-paced

2.25

daniellesalwaysreading's review

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I am not adding a rating because I can't speak to the quality of the writing, but this memoir was very painful to read and there was no hope offered. It was mostly "this is my life and it sucked and continues to suck". I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

kristinana's review

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5.0

A very powerful, brave, and moving memoir. Grace Talusan's prose is spare and understated, allowing for the reader to contemplate the enormity of what she writes about. The book begins with a description of making yogurt, a comforting and evocative image that belies the dangers and pain that will become the main focus of the book. I believe that a strong theme of the book has to do with how we make sense of the painful things that happen to us and that we see around us, whether that's by distracting ourselves with other activities, by trying to make sense out of senseless events, or by facing these events head-on and conquering them. All of these coping mechanisms appear in the memoir in different forms, and in this way, among others, the book becomes a description of how we survive. Talusan has a way of showing how one's individual experiences are deeply informed by both our family's history and by the larger histories of nations, and in this way is deeply instructional in terms of the ways our lives are shaped by so many things wholly beyond our control. What is in our control is what we do about it, and her author's note at the beginning is so important; about a realization she has when her niece is born, she writes: "I realized how dangerous it was to protect the wrong people by telling only the happy stories. Lies of omission created the conditions that allowed someone more powerful than me to hurt and exploit me..." By being truthful about so much, I am sure she will help many people comprehend and tell their own stories.

happy_stomach's review

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

4.0

mamabeardteacher's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

livobreb99's review

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5.0

Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely amazing. I am not only in love with this book but absolutely in awe of Grace Talusan. Her writing is not only exquisite but her ability to be so raw is astounding. Starting and ending on present day, with the stories and photos of the events, people, and memories that make up who she is creates a beautiful timeline.

She tells us about her struggle to have children, her sexually abuse as a child, family tensions and loyalties, the way her immigrant family viewed their life in comparison to the American born children in her classes and their families who not only were sexist, racist, and classist but so much more.

She speaks in ways that made me feel heard and made me feel less alone in some parts and in others she spoke about experiences I couldn’t even fathom being any more real than they are in the movies. She spoke about the horrifying events that happened to her and her family, she spoke about the moments she most remembered with love, she spoke about her true relationship with different family members and the way she approached some certain struggles that aren’t typically spoken about to honestly.

Truly can not give this book or Grace Talusan enough praise.

whatchareadingheather's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

 
"I'm here to learn what it means to be Filipino, but somehow I've only become more American" 
 
Reading this really makes me appreciate the fact that my parents (a mixed-race marriage btw) and my grandmother chose to raise me differently than what is traditional Filipino values. This book was equal parts frustrating (the unacceptable bluntness/rudeness, the acceptance of misogyny with AAPI men, general racism, etc.) and reflective (a look into the country’s somewhat Caste-like system due to skin tone,  the blessing and curse of being a ‘model minority,’ discussing the tomfoolery that is the American Immigration System, etc.) with parts that really hit close to home in terms of my experience growing up (mainly toxic extended family dynamics). I think anyone who is of Filipino descent should read this book, especially if you are trying to unlearn the hurtful behavior that’s passed down generation to generation. If anything, this book reassured me that my stance against the ‘Blood Is Thicker Than Water’ mentality is completely valid. 

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lsullivan3672's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

4.5

"i always find it hard to rate memoirs, it's like you rate the life of a person.. and the sadder the life, the better the book. " someone else said this in their review, and I agree with that sentiment.

As a white, middle class, person from the Boston area, Grace's perspective and reflections on being an immigrant from the Philippines, living here for most of, if not all, of her life including the successes and struggles her and her family faced, were interesting to read and learn about. I enjoyed the family photos she included throughout the book.

Living through Grace's trauma with her as she shared her vulnerability with the reader, was difficult to read through and imagine living through. My heart is with Grace and I feel for her and her family, the depression she quite literally clawed her way out of, the years she went through therapy and kept on living despite how challenging and difficult it became to her, was extremely heartbreaking. I am happy she graduated, became a successful person in her career, married someone who she's built a mutually respectful and loving life with.

As someone who has suffered through medical trauma most of my life, her detailed account of her and her familys' experiences with cancer were eye opening and had me there with her through all of her surgeries, doctor appointments, recovery, and the vulnerabilities of her thoughts and what ifs that come in-between. She showed remarkable strength and resilience, along with all of the other adversities she's overcome.

I would have liked to know more about the medical institutions she was seen at, Boston MGH is one of the best hospitals (if not the best) in the world, and there was no mention of the facility she was treated in. They are doing remarkable things in those hospitals; leading in treatment of cancers, strokes, heart surgeries, etc. I know I am grateful to be here in Boston, if not for anything else, the superior healthcare and institutions (largely in thanks to the immigrants who come here to study and work in our healthcare, mental health systems and other institutions). 

Thank you Grace for sharing your story, looking forward to reading more of her publications.

happy_meeal's review

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

5.0