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kqyreads 's review for:
Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen
by Jose Antonio Vargas
This book made me so sad, angry, frustrated, and hopeful.
From the title, this book obviously concerns political issues, but it's truly a memoir at heart. Maybe it's because I found Vargas very relatable (though I was born a US Citizen), but I found this book really moving. He's someone who is determined, independent, and creative, and we see him work hard to make the best of what he has. Although the last section wasn't as good as the beginning in my opinion (perhaps because he's had less time to reflect on it), the book as a whole was still very moving. What hit me the hardest was when Vargas talked about feeling like he needed to "earn" his spot, like no matter what he did, he was still undeserving of his successes. Of course, with many people saying that undocumented Americans are "taking away" jobs/opportunities/resources, it's not surprising that one would feel this way. The best parts of this book are when Vargas just talks about how he felt. The struggles he goes through, externally and internally, humanizes the idea of an "illegal immigrant."
Because it's mostly just his story, not a lecture but on what immigration policies in America 'should be', I would definitely recommend everyone to read this book, even if you're politically more conservative.
From the title, this book obviously concerns political issues, but it's truly a memoir at heart. Maybe it's because I found Vargas very relatable (though I was born a US Citizen), but I found this book really moving. He's someone who is determined, independent, and creative, and we see him work hard to make the best of what he has. Although the last section wasn't as good as the beginning in my opinion (perhaps because he's had less time to reflect on it), the book as a whole was still very moving. What hit me the hardest was when Vargas talked about feeling like he needed to "earn" his spot, like no matter what he did, he was still undeserving of his successes. Of course, with many people saying that undocumented Americans are "taking away" jobs/opportunities/resources, it's not surprising that one would feel this way. The best parts of this book are when Vargas just talks about how he felt. The struggles he goes through, externally and internally, humanizes the idea of an "illegal immigrant."
Because it's mostly just his story, not a lecture but on what immigration policies in America 'should be', I would definitely recommend everyone to read this book, even if you're politically more conservative.