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randab's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Mazie Hirono's memoir is so inspiring! She's a senator in Hawaii and is the epitome of a public servant. She says it like it is and never backs down. Mazie has overcome cancer and many other challenges, continuing her commitment to marginalized people of her state and all over the country.
byrningup's review against another edition
3.75
3.75 stars. This was just a little too long and disjointed to be a well rounded, fully cohesive story
mpevans0517's review against another edition
5.0
(Thank you Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this book)
THIS book... it was an amazing look into an Asian American, daughter of an immigrant story.
To begin, Mazie Hirono's mother is a badass. She is really the idea behind the heart of fire. The first half of the book focuses on Mazie's mother's life, fleeing a terrible marriage, and coming to the US with almost nothing but the clothes on their backs and Mazie's subsequent childhood. The writing really pulls you in with a sense of time and place.
I know what growing up with "nothing" feels like at times. It gives your entire life a unique perspective that others cannot have. Mazie saw how hard her mother worked to rise from the ashes of her life and persevere with a can-do attitude.
The second half of the book focuses on Mazie's time in the Senate, how she works for the people, not herself, and the inner workings of how things really get done (or not done) on the senate floor. Mazie is also a total badass for working through some of her illnesses to make sure things got done. What a fighter/champion.
Pick up this book when you can. You won't regret it.
THIS book... it was an amazing look into an Asian American, daughter of an immigrant story.
To begin, Mazie Hirono's mother is a badass. She is really the idea behind the heart of fire. The first half of the book focuses on Mazie's mother's life, fleeing a terrible marriage, and coming to the US with almost nothing but the clothes on their backs and Mazie's subsequent childhood. The writing really pulls you in with a sense of time and place.
I know what growing up with "nothing" feels like at times. It gives your entire life a unique perspective that others cannot have. Mazie saw how hard her mother worked to rise from the ashes of her life and persevere with a can-do attitude.
The second half of the book focuses on Mazie's time in the Senate, how she works for the people, not herself, and the inner workings of how things really get done (or not done) on the senate floor. Mazie is also a total badass for working through some of her illnesses to make sure things got done. What a fighter/champion.
Pick up this book when you can. You won't regret it.
mari77's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
jchant's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
What a fascinating memoir! Mazie Hirono was born in Japan, emigrated to Hawaii when she was a child, and experienced extreme poverty growing up. Despite the struggles of her early years, she was able to get a college education and eventually went to Georgetown University Law School. From her college years onward, Mazie Hirono was involved in Democratic Party politics, serving in the Hawaii state legislature, as lieutenant governor and eventually as a Congresswoman and, beginning in 2012, a U.S. senator. She was the first immigrant to serve in the Senate, and was reelected to a second term in 2018.
I especially enjoyed reading about Senator Hirono’s early years, and was impressed with her fearless mother, who not only left her alcoholic husband, but emigrated from Japan to Hawaii to give her children a better life. This was an intriguing and well written book, and I recommend it.
I especially enjoyed reading about Senator Hirono’s early years, and was impressed with her fearless mother, who not only left her alcoholic husband, but emigrated from Japan to Hawaii to give her children a better life. This was an intriguing and well written book, and I recommend it.