Hana Gabrielle Bidon
While I know a little bit about Israeli politics from taking a Science and Technology Studies course, this book takes my knowledge to a new level. I learned more contemporary politics in Israel in 2015 and I never knew about the political tension in this country and I'm glad to hear from a journalistic perspective that is written in a personal matter as if someone was talking to me about this in a two-hour long conversation.
It's unfortunate that LGBTQ+ people were treated unfairly during the AIDS epidemic in the United States but I'm glad that doctors like Abraham Verghese were able to step in and help his patients to the best of his ability. I'm thankful that doctors like him gave grace to their patients. I wasn't the biggest fan of the excess detail at times but the flow and pacing of the memoir was well done.
Rating: 4.5 stars
I loved how well-written and relatable this book is because I also questioned whether or not I am Asian or Asian American enough for people. My Filipino and Asian identities have been questioned by Asians and non-Asians alike and the fact that this book features multiple Filipinos who have experienced the same thing makes me feel less lonely. I especially resonated with one of the Filipinos who majored in Biology and felt underrepresented in her field as she was pre-med in her undergraduate years. Similarly, I majored in Information Science and felt underrepresented even amongst the sea of Asians since most of them were East and South Asians. There was a disconnect between East Asians and Southeast Asians. I also got made fun of for being Filipino and was deemed inferior by one former East Asian friend. That being said, I wish that the author got Filipinos from different parts of the United States like the East Coast and beyond California. I think that would've improved the book a lot and I love it so much already.
I love the character development of this book in particular and how the main character copes with her PTSD from living in a war-torn Syria and then leaving behind her memories and trauma from there to live in the United States. I'm grateful that Jaime from myTBR recommendations suggested this book to me and I'm in love with these kinds of novels.
It's one of the best memoirs that I read this year, maybe even of all time. I'm glad myTBR recommended me this memoir so I can learn more about Lisa and her relationship with Steve Jobs when he was still alive. It is complicated not spending enough time with a parent before they pass away from a terrible disease. I hope Lisa lives her life to the fullest and enjoys her time on Earth as much as possible.
This memoir is utterly mesmerizing and unforgettable because of exquisite writing and beautiful storytelling. Highly recommend reading this, especially if you want to learn about the lived experiences of autistic people, especially Black autistic folks. Thank you, myTBR, for recommending this memoir. It was a pleasure reading this
Rating: 3.5 stars
Thank you NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of this book. I learned a lot about Kendrick Perkins, whom I didn't know prior to reading this book. I especially loved the beginning of the book and fell in love with his writing. His writing fell slightly flat in the middle but I learned a lot about Black American History that I never learned in my history lessons.
I thought this book was neat in addressing serious issues like divorce, marriage, care giving for sick family members, and such. I thought the character development was one of the highlights of the book, but I didn't like how manipulative Laine's family was to her. I also thought that the plot was interesting at the beginning but fell flat in the middle and the end of the book.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me this book for an honest review. I thought this book was decent but the lack of solid character development and plot left me dry. I was thinking that the book would be a decent retelling of The Great Gatsby but this leaves me wanting to read the original work instead.
I learned a lot about what it's like to live with schizoaffective disorder through this memoir and collection of essays. I also live with a mental illness so I can empathize on the struggles on managing it on tough days and good days. Still, there is a huge stigma for people with schizophrenia and I'm glad that Esme brought to light her reality living with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Thank you so much myTBR for recommending me this memoir. I've read a lot of memoirs but this stands out to me because of the intertwined romance with Tembi and her late husband plus her experiences in Italy and the United States. I love how honest and vulnerable Tembi was in her memoir. I feel inspired to go back to Italy
Her memoir of becoming the first Deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School is inspiring and jaw dropping. I love it that Haben stated that disability can help innovate humanity and mention practical ways to educate people about disability rights, ableism, and improving accessibility for deaf, blind, and deafblind people. I have autism and ADHD, and I'm willing to learn more about combatting ableism for deaf and/or blind folks.