corinza's review
5.0
IMPORTANT! I encourage everyone to read this. So relevant. So relatable. So educational. Please take some time to read each and every one of these stories, you won’t regret it. I found myself on the edge of tears, smiling and reminiscing about how I grew up, and angry for how America has treated the disenfranchised throughout the years. A must-read for sure.
sonia_reppe's review
5.0
These essays from famous and prominent American immigrants tells their experiences with culture clashes, or clashes with their parents customs. It's a vast subject with a myriad of experiences that can be told; this collection fits under humorous and heartfelt, but mostly humorous.
daniellesalwaysreading's review
4.0
This is a beautiful book with great personal stories of being American. It has a fantastic diversity of voices (except in profession; all contributers are in entertainment). I would love to read an entire book by America Ferrera next.
genya's review
4.0
loved hearing diff celebs tales about their families and how it was for them growing up in the U.S
carrienation76's review
5.0
I am moved and humbled by the collection of stories. Across the 32 essays in this book, we hear from people across many backgrounds all sharing what insight they have to offer about the immigrant experience in America - what it means to the brave people who embark on a new life, how their courage ripples across generations, and how that sacrifice changes the course of history.
While many themes are covered, one thread really resonated with me - the tendency for many of these authors or their family members to wonder iterations of, "Who am I to change the world?" The way one chooses to answer that question, and the life-affirming struggle to reach "Why *not* me?", makes all the difference.
While it's hard to pick a favorite, I particularly recommend the ones penned by America Ferrera, Carmen Carrera, Uzo Aduba, Linda Sarsour, Martin Sensmeier, and Ravi Patel as the stand-outs for me.
This was a phenomenal and meaningful read. Every piece was moving. I laughed. I cried. It's hard not to be moved by these testaments to love, family, community, and sacrifice.
While many themes are covered, one thread really resonated with me - the tendency for many of these authors or their family members to wonder iterations of, "Who am I to change the world?" The way one chooses to answer that question, and the life-affirming struggle to reach "Why *not* me?", makes all the difference.
While it's hard to pick a favorite, I particularly recommend the ones penned by America Ferrera, Carmen Carrera, Uzo Aduba, Linda Sarsour, Martin Sensmeier, and Ravi Patel as the stand-outs for me.
This was a phenomenal and meaningful read. Every piece was moving. I laughed. I cried. It's hard not to be moved by these testaments to love, family, community, and sacrifice.
eelsmac's review against another edition
4.0
The majority of the essays were fantastic, but there were a couple in there that just seemed really lackluster.
southernbellebooks's review
5.0
Wow I loved this. These were the stories I wanted to hear. Proud Americans but also proud of their heritage. Their heritage defining so much about them but living in a country where the heritage is only celebrated by some. I would recommend this to anyone.
domskeac's review
4.0
This was the March selection for my online book club; it garnered an interesting response! It contains some real gems, but we also struggled to understand who the intended audience was. I enjoyed most of the narratives and loved the curated voices Ferrera gathered.
One huge deficit though is the lack of voices from early Black communities in the U.S. (meaning, not recent African immigrants, but those descended from American slavery). It seemed like an odd community to leave out and the volume felt incomplete without those folks’ voice in the mix.
One huge deficit though is the lack of voices from early Black communities in the U.S. (meaning, not recent African immigrants, but those descended from American slavery). It seemed like an odd community to leave out and the volume felt incomplete without those folks’ voice in the mix.