Reviews

Tales of Two Americas by John Freeman

lottie1803's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

leighgoodmark's review against another edition

4.0

Terrific collection. Worth buying just for Roxane Gay’s short story-everything else (and there’s a lot of great everything else) is icing.

rjsthumbelina's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-paced

2.75

amandaannotates's review against another edition

4.0

“The trouble with good fortune is that people tend to equate it with personal goodness, so that if things are going well for us and as well for others, we think they must have done something to have brought it on themselves. We speak of ourselves as being blessed, what but what can that mean except that others are not blessed, and that God has picked out a few of us to love more? It is our responsibility to care for one another, to create fairness in the face of unfairness, and to find equality where none may have existed in the past.”

This is the first book I ever read for college. I can't believe it. I'm going to the Honors College at the University of Arizona. And this is the first book I read for the Honors College. The first book I'll have college conversations about, the first one I can bond over with other college students about. And it's about inequality in America. Some stories hit harder, since I can relate to them as a bisexual Latina Hispanic woman. My favorite stories were by Edwidge Danticat, Roxanne Gay, Anthony Doerr, and Ann Patchett. I loved the poems. I highlighted and wrote so many things in between the margin.

I can't believe I'm going to college. I can't believe I'm going to live in a dorm. I can't believe it. I'm so glad I got to read this book. I'm so excited about college. I'm so excited to have thought-provoking discussions about this book.

postitsandpens's review against another edition

4.0

As with any anthology/collection of stories, there are some hits and some misses in Tales of Two Americas. That being said, I found this book full of stories that are eye-opening in their own ways. It's easy to forget exactly what others in this country are dealing with on a daily basis as we move through our own lives (and our own issues). It was a good reminder that life is not actually all about me and mine. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to hear different perspectives on this thing we call life.

olivialeighrose24's review against another edition

4.0

A very interesting collection of essays and other works that highlight inequality in the US in a lot of different ways - race, income, geography, etc. I learned a lot from the different perspectives from each contributor and generally enjoyed this despite the less-than-uplifting subject matter.

jillianrunser's review against another edition

4.0

An important and vulnerable look into the depths of division across America. Each writer tackles the issue of "Inequality in a Divided Nation" in their own unique way and genre. I enjoyed most of the chapters and feel that the poignant stories touched a part of my heart and soul that needs to be hit more.

almapietri's review against another edition

5.0

there were a handful of pieces in the collection that I was less crazy about but I found almost every single piece to be incredible powerful, moving, and important--so glad I read this and now I have so many new writers I love!

willowsfair's review against another edition

5.0

Important essays on inequality in America. If you are not aware, you should be. Case studies and individual histories detail the class struggles that are taking place through gentrification, environmental injustice, and current law enforcement's inability to acknowledge people who have the right to live their lives just as everyone else does. It needs to stop.

carbaji's review against another edition

4.0

A collection of stories that really hit to the heart of what it’s like to live in America. At times that means systemic injustice, the curiosities of community, or coming to terms with your sexuality. This book had some really great highlights, such as “Death by Gentrification”, “Dosas”, Fieldwork”, and”How”. Highly recommended to those who like “in the life of” stories.