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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
I’m proud to be the daughter of a Filipina who had to give up being with her family in the Philippines in the hopes of having a better future for herself and her children here in America. Much of Jose’s story resonated with what I’ve heard of my mother and her friends’ immigration stories. A solid addition to immigrant narratives that opens many minds up to what the life of an “illegal immigrant” looks like.
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Wow! This is a fantastic book. I HIGHLY recommend it. I laughed, I cried, I learned, and continue to have more questions. I probably would have read it quicker but it was an assigned reading for staff d, so I didn’t let myself get into it until this past week. We have a lot of work to do in this country. ❤️
This was an engaging memoir. It caused me to pause and think quite frequently. He has a great platform to be heard and help others and it seems he is doing his best to ensure others are helped. There were some immigration stats I was unaware of and others that were solidified for me. It’s worth a read to hear a story of an undocumented American who continues to fight for the right to remain home.
I picked up this book because it's the selection for the county-wide yearly reading program in my area called "Washtenaw Reads" and read it in just a little over 3 days. I usually only call fictional novels "page-turners" or "un-put-downable" but this nonfiction book was very compelling.
Vargas is Filipino-American. His grandparents were in the U.S. legally but didn't bring him in the legal way, a fact Vargas finds out when he turns 16 and tries to get a driver's license. The rest of the book examines what "illegal aliens" do to survive in the U.S. through the lens of Vargas's story, and examines the changing rhetoric around citizenship and immigration. Adding another layer to the issue, Vargas has to come out twice: once as a gay man, and then again as being undocumented to his friends and colleagues.
Highly readable, highly recommended.
Vargas is Filipino-American. His grandparents were in the U.S. legally but didn't bring him in the legal way, a fact Vargas finds out when he turns 16 and tries to get a driver's license. The rest of the book examines what "illegal aliens" do to survive in the U.S. through the lens of Vargas's story, and examines the changing rhetoric around citizenship and immigration. Adding another layer to the issue, Vargas has to come out twice: once as a gay man, and then again as being undocumented to his friends and colleagues.
Highly readable, highly recommended.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
An accessible, quick read that highlights multiple immigration issues through the lens of one man's life. Vargas' experience in journalism is apparent from the straightforward writing style and the short, easy-to-read chapters. His writing is spare, but has a sense of immediacy to it, and he clearly lays out the hard dilemmas foisted on himself and his family but the United States' screwed up immigration system. I do think that his journalistic background leads Vargas to treat himself with a sense of distance, and as a reader I sometimes felt like I was being held at arm's length. This was especially true in the later sections of the book, where he talks at length about how his identity and life experiences have made it almost impossible for him to experience true intimacy and community with others, without actually exploring what that looks like for him. I also wanted more reflection on how his privilege as a famous reporter with lots of connections has helped him, instead of focusing only on addressing critics of his style of advocacy. Overall though, this is a very illuminating read, and I'm glad my virtual book club chose it as our first read.
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced