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bored_asfke's review against another edition
Boring, allways the same kinda stories, no tension, weird writing style, had to read it for school but why didn't they pick a more interesting book
ambermaurialexander's review against another edition
4.0
"I was born in Pakistan but made in England; it is Britain which is my land of hope and dreams" (Chpt. Land of Hope and Dreams, p. 269).
In the month of May, Sarfraz Manzoor came to John Cabot University to present his memoir, his story, Greetings from Bury Park: Race. Religion. Rock 'n' Roll. The email I received from the university about this speech was spontaneous, something I received in the middle of the day just a few days before the event. In general, I go to all English Literature events held by the department because I like to be involved, but the day of this event I was dragging. I had walked around Rome all day and had ate nothing since breakfast. Additionally, on top of knowing nothing about Bruce Springsteen (an artist from my mother's time) or this author, I was somewhat discouraged in going. However, as I sat at a cafe (an hour before the event) something in me prompted me to go to this event.
'You can't turn down an opportunity to listen to someone talking about their book. You love hearing these kind of talks.' My mind and body was telling me to go, so I went.
I was left laughing and greatly interested in Mr. Manzoor's memoir after his presentation was over. His ability to combine humor with intense emotions that he felt when battling with his identity really brought his story alive for the audience. Even though I had not heard one Bruce Springsteen song in my life, I was truly in awe how this artist was able to change Mr. Manzoor's life forever. I wanted to understand more about his past, so I bought the book.
Right off the bat, I would like to say that I am not a big fan of non-linear timelines in stories. When the timeline is out of order it begins to confuse me, but it's not all that big of a deal to me; it is just something that I do not enjoy in books. I think that the order of the story could have been slightly more linear than it was; it was jumping around a lot. Besides this, I have nothing bad to say about the memoir. The escalation from the extreme struggle with identity to finally knowing who he is in the end is a type of story that I always find most beautiful, a bildungsroman. This quick and easy read digs into what it was like as a Pakistan immigrant in the late eighties - early 2000s in England (post 9/11) with the extra help of Bruce Springsteen's music to keep life going.
Nothing could have surprised me more in this book than Manzoor mentioning my hometown, Yuba City! I have to say, it is quite a coincidence that this man who traveled all the way to Italy to give this presentation happened to sell books in my hometown thirty years before. In the Borghese Gardens of Rome, the moment I read the line, "The small Californian town of Yuba City," I yelled, "SHUT UP." I probably confused the people around me, greatly; however, I did not care. I couldn't believe that this author whom I knew nothing about had set foot in my small town in northern California. This was the feeling I must have gotten when I was sitting in the cafe, the hour before the event. I felt as if I was supposed to read this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and went through it quite fast. I would recommend this book to people who are (1) Springsteen fans (duh), and (2) wanting to understand more about the struggles of finding yourself in a world filled with animosity and hate. I really think this memoir goes to show how much music can influence a person's life. I will now be listening to Bruce Springsteen to get an even deeper understanding of what Sarfraz Manzoor was feeling.
In the month of May, Sarfraz Manzoor came to John Cabot University to present his memoir, his story, Greetings from Bury Park: Race. Religion. Rock 'n' Roll. The email I received from the university about this speech was spontaneous, something I received in the middle of the day just a few days before the event. In general, I go to all English Literature events held by the department because I like to be involved, but the day of this event I was dragging. I had walked around Rome all day and had ate nothing since breakfast. Additionally, on top of knowing nothing about Bruce Springsteen (an artist from my mother's time) or this author, I was somewhat discouraged in going. However, as I sat at a cafe (an hour before the event) something in me prompted me to go to this event.
'You can't turn down an opportunity to listen to someone talking about their book. You love hearing these kind of talks.' My mind and body was telling me to go, so I went.
I was left laughing and greatly interested in Mr. Manzoor's memoir after his presentation was over. His ability to combine humor with intense emotions that he felt when battling with his identity really brought his story alive for the audience. Even though I had not heard one Bruce Springsteen song in my life, I was truly in awe how this artist was able to change Mr. Manzoor's life forever. I wanted to understand more about his past, so I bought the book.
Right off the bat, I would like to say that I am not a big fan of non-linear timelines in stories. When the timeline is out of order it begins to confuse me, but it's not all that big of a deal to me; it is just something that I do not enjoy in books. I think that the order of the story could have been slightly more linear than it was; it was jumping around a lot. Besides this, I have nothing bad to say about the memoir. The escalation from the extreme struggle with identity to finally knowing who he is in the end is a type of story that I always find most beautiful, a bildungsroman. This quick and easy read digs into what it was like as a Pakistan immigrant in the late eighties - early 2000s in England (post 9/11) with the extra help of Bruce Springsteen's music to keep life going.
Nothing could have surprised me more in this book than Manzoor mentioning my hometown, Yuba City! I have to say, it is quite a coincidence that this man who traveled all the way to Italy to give this presentation happened to sell books in my hometown thirty years before. In the Borghese Gardens of Rome, the moment I read the line, "The small Californian town of Yuba City," I yelled, "SHUT UP." I probably confused the people around me, greatly; however, I did not care. I couldn't believe that this author whom I knew nothing about had set foot in my small town in northern California. This was the feeling I must have gotten when I was sitting in the cafe, the hour before the event. I felt as if I was supposed to read this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and went through it quite fast. I would recommend this book to people who are (1) Springsteen fans (duh), and (2) wanting to understand more about the struggles of finding yourself in a world filled with animosity and hate. I really think this memoir goes to show how much music can influence a person's life. I will now be listening to Bruce Springsteen to get an even deeper understanding of what Sarfraz Manzoor was feeling.
healingfish's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
1.5
Personally, I didn’t like that you kinda restarted the whole story of his life at the beginning of every chapter. I appreciate the intentions of the author, but I didn’t enjoy reading this book at the end of the day..
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