Reviews

Biting the Hand: Growing Up Asian in Black and White America by Julia Lee

ksilvery's review

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I struggle rating memoirs, especially ones that I’ve carefully selected because I was seeking a special connection with the author. 
And at the very end, Julia very nicely asks me, the reader, to be kind and considerate before judging her. 
So all I’ll say is that someone missed the “preferred “ pronouns part, either during editing or who knows when, and I would have excepted better especially because it’s written to prove a point.
And even though at the end Julia tries to show that not all immigrant experience is traumatic, for the bigger part of the book the tone is angry, very deeply angry, understandably so, but it’s heavy to read at times and it didn’t help that I listened to it in one day. She does start with that but in some places she says that her perspective has changed and I honestly can’t tell that by this book. 
But so many things were relatable for me, so maybe I haven’t let go either and she can be mad on my behalf.

sarahmiya's review against another edition

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challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

bmanatee_reads's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

justsimplehonestjuice's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

revmolev's review against another edition

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informative reflective fast-paced

4.5

Loved the audiobook. Super well-written and I learned a lot!

lauea's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

This memoir is raw, emotional, and so worth a read. Lee writes in a way that is honest and vulnerable, and had me stopping every few pages to jot down quotes that I’ll carry on with me. 

“To treat yourself as human in a world that dehumanizes you, now that is an act of resistance.” 

christy235's review

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challenging medium-paced

4.0

tracithomas's review

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5.0

This was fantastic. The rage was there. The knowledge was there. Smart and sharp. Tone spot on. Content spot on. The essay in the 92 LA riots was *chefs kiss*.

katlin_b's review against another edition

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informative reflective fast-paced

4.5

domiwatkins's review

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emotional informative relaxing fast-paced

4.0