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whatannikareads's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
winnieismydog's review
She is angry. She's angry at her parents, their culture, US society, and where she fits in or if she should fit in and if so, where? Her anger is justified, and is probably why the book is named "Biting the Hand".
Usually when you hear/think about the topic of race in the US, you hear predominantly about White vs Black, Asian people and their cultures are rarely part of the conversation. I do appreciate that her uncertainty about being Asian vs American and her struggle to fit into a predetermined category, added another layer of heaviness to her experiences.
To me, she comes across flippant in describing some of the white people that she encountered though, like "my therapist was a white lady with a bad face-lift..." Was that necessary? Probably not. Was it fair? She has had people throughout her life who have disparaged her external appearance so maybe she feels justified returning the favor, IDK.
My purpose to reading her book is to listen and learn. It was hard at times and I felt slightly defensive in reaction to some of her statements but it's not my place to judge her but to listen and reflect. I hope that more people are able to share their experiences to help foster conversations about how we can see one another for our "human-ness" and learn to honor and celebrate our differences and similarities. "We, too, are America."
Usually when you hear/think about the topic of race in the US, you hear predominantly about White vs Black, Asian people and their cultures are rarely part of the conversation. I do appreciate that her uncertainty about being Asian vs American and her struggle to fit into a predetermined category, added another layer of heaviness to her experiences.
To me, she comes across flippant in describing some of the white people that she encountered though, like "my therapist was a white lady with a bad face-lift..." Was that necessary? Probably not. Was it fair? She has had people throughout her life who have disparaged her external appearance so maybe she feels justified returning the favor, IDK.
My purpose to reading her book is to listen and learn. It was hard at times and I felt slightly defensive in reaction to some of her statements but it's not my place to judge her but to listen and reflect. I hope that more people are able to share their experiences to help foster conversations about how we can see one another for our "human-ness" and learn to honor and celebrate our differences and similarities. "We, too, are America."
underapileofbooks's review
4.0
This was an uncomfortable read at times, but I’m glad I stuck with it. Julia Lee gave me a lot to think about, and that’s what I was looking for when I picked up this book.
stacyheperi's review
4.0
3.5 stars. The rage was there, the research was there. A good read.
“Be a human to the human in front of you.”
“Be a human to the human in front of you.”
csutherlin3's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Classism
thatsoneforthebooks's review
5.0
✨ Review ✨ Biting the Hand: Growing Up Asian in Black and White America - Written and Narrated by Julia Lee
This is probably one of my favorite memoirs I've read -- and Lee's moving narration of the book only helped that claim.
The book follows her life from a child of immigrants in California to her experience in the Ivy Leagues and beyond. She weaves her experiences with larger reflections of race in America, and on her own explorations of her racial identity in a world that largely recognizes a black & white binary. From the 1992 LA Riots to the BLM protests after the murder of George Floyd, she examines what it means to be a Korean American in the U.S.
I found this especially impactful for the following:
1. as a reflection on the experience of marginalized students in higher ed, especially in institutions overflowing with privilege
2. her analogies / descriptions of how race & privilege function in the U.S. -- she provided new ways of thinking about and describing racial issues that stretched my thinking
3. smooth and engaging writing style - I was hooked from the first page.
4. the rich layers of Korean / Asian identity that exist in the U.S. - she really disentangles perceptions and stereotypes of Asian Americans as a monolithic population
5. her work to sort out innate Korean ways of thinking from mental health issues produced by systemic racism and from generational trauma
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: memoir
Pub Date: out now!
Read this if you like:
⭕️ Korean-American / Asian-American memoirs
⭕️ reflections on race and higher education
⭕️ discussions of race and privilege in the U.S.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!
This is probably one of my favorite memoirs I've read -- and Lee's moving narration of the book only helped that claim.
The book follows her life from a child of immigrants in California to her experience in the Ivy Leagues and beyond. She weaves her experiences with larger reflections of race in America, and on her own explorations of her racial identity in a world that largely recognizes a black & white binary. From the 1992 LA Riots to the BLM protests after the murder of George Floyd, she examines what it means to be a Korean American in the U.S.
I found this especially impactful for the following:
1. as a reflection on the experience of marginalized students in higher ed, especially in institutions overflowing with privilege
2. her analogies / descriptions of how race & privilege function in the U.S. -- she provided new ways of thinking about and describing racial issues that stretched my thinking
3. smooth and engaging writing style - I was hooked from the first page.
4. the rich layers of Korean / Asian identity that exist in the U.S. - she really disentangles perceptions and stereotypes of Asian Americans as a monolithic population
5. her work to sort out innate Korean ways of thinking from mental health issues produced by systemic racism and from generational trauma
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: memoir
Pub Date: out now!
Read this if you like:
⭕️ Korean-American / Asian-American memoirs
⭕️ reflections on race and higher education
⭕️ discussions of race and privilege in the U.S.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!