Reviews
I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Martin Ganda, Caitlin Alifirenka
dorothy_gale's review against another edition
4.0
MY FIRST DUAL MEMOIR. It's an inspirational story that definitely proves (1) one person can make a difference, (2) where there is a will, there is a way, (3) patience/persistence pays, and (4) a friend in need is a friend in deed. It is a good story for young people in terms of contrasting rich and poor nations and teaching gratitude. It is also probably good for an insider's view of African culture and poverty. It was impossible NOT to root for Caitlin and Martin. But racially,
Think of the following stories:
+++1960's To Kill a Mockingbird (book and movie) where a white attorney (played by Gregory Peck) defends a black man falsely accused of rape; he loses the case but is applauded for his noble effort.
+++1995's Dangerous Minds where a white teacher (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) teaches African and Hispanic American teenagers at an inner city high school.
+++2008's Gran Torino where a racist white Korean War veteran (played by Clint Eastwood) helps a Hmong American teenager and ultimately protects him and his family from a Hmong American gang.
+++2009's The Blind Side (based on a true story) where a white woman and football fan (played by Sandra Bullock) takes a black teenager into her home, and he plays football with her support through his high school and college years.
+++2009's Avatar where a white former Marine (played by Sam Worthington) goes to another planet and becomes part of an alien humanoid tribe, ultimately leading them to victory against his people's military. Totally speciesist!
+++2011's The Help (book and movie) where a white journalist exploits the lives of underserved black maids to tell their story -- I have mixed feelings about this one.
+++2012's Lincoln (the Steven Spielberg movie): black characters do almost nothing but passively wait for white men to liberate them, after historians have agreed for the last 30 years that slaves were crucial agents in their emancipation.
This book was published in 2015, and as of today has a 4.4-star average by 18,670 reviewers. I gave it 4 stars because it is a positive, inspirational, true story that was well-written.
Spoiler
this is your typical White Savior Narrative. A white protagonist is portrayed as a messianic figure who often learns something about herself in the course of rescuing a non-white character from his plight.Think of the following stories:
+++1960's To Kill a Mockingbird (book and movie) where a white attorney (played by Gregory Peck) defends a black man falsely accused of rape; he loses the case but is applauded for his noble effort.
+++1995's Dangerous Minds where a white teacher (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) teaches African and Hispanic American teenagers at an inner city high school.
+++2008's Gran Torino where a racist white Korean War veteran (played by Clint Eastwood) helps a Hmong American teenager and ultimately protects him and his family from a Hmong American gang.
+++2009's The Blind Side (based on a true story) where a white woman and football fan (played by Sandra Bullock) takes a black teenager into her home, and he plays football with her support through his high school and college years.
+++2009's Avatar where a white former Marine (played by Sam Worthington) goes to another planet and becomes part of an alien humanoid tribe, ultimately leading them to victory against his people's military. Totally speciesist!
+++2011's The Help (book and movie) where a white journalist exploits the lives of underserved black maids to tell their story -- I have mixed feelings about this one.
+++2012's Lincoln (the Steven Spielberg movie): black characters do almost nothing but passively wait for white men to liberate them, after historians have agreed for the last 30 years that slaves were crucial agents in their emancipation.
This book was published in 2015, and as of today has a 4.4-star average by 18,670 reviewers. I gave it 4 stars because it is a positive, inspirational, true story that was well-written.
book_worm_04's review against another edition
5.0
I was so moved my this story! This is a book that I read for a school project and in the beginning I was interested but not really into the story. One night I just started reading and I could not stop! This started as an obligation read but turned into a story I could not put down! This is something I will be able to reread for the rest of my life!
katelynrosekelley's review against another edition
5.0
this should be required reading for any childhood development class
that_grassfield's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5