Reviews

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

elemee's review

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

bgw's review against another edition

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challenging informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.75

jmwarner's review

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective

5.0

I loved this memoir. It shines the light on such a dark part of American society - racism, and racism that is rarely discussed or mentioned. I cannot recommend this read enough.

maiakunkel's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

sdlauram's review against another edition

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emotional informative fast-paced

4.0

I enjoyed the memoir aspects of the book, but felt that the last half got a little didactic & didn’t offer new information.

cherreadssharereads's review

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5.0

I don’t rate memoirs but this is more than a memoir — it also serves as a call-to-action. I loved these chapters that were so so so personal but also so empowering to someone who also often finds herself very angry with the world, with America, and with race relations here. Angry but also very lost. Paralyzed almost. But Lee clears it up — it’s the fault of white supremacy and us claiming confusion and paralysis need to heed this call. Let’s get angry and fuck shit up.

sofiercely's review

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

jangmee's review

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emotional informative reflective fast-paced

carolinesterr's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective

5.0

colindac's review

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5.0

Wow I loved this book!  Lee writes about how white supremacy has shaped her life as a Korean American. Divided into three sections, Rage, Shame, Grace. Jamaica Kincaid became the author's mentor in the African American studies dept and said to her, you must bite the hand that feeds you. Kudos for the section in the end that gives a nod to Gerald Vizenor's idea of survivance.