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A review by literaryk
Better, Not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice by Yusef Salaam
5.0
This has been the most powerful, insightful book I've read in a very long time.
I pre-ordered this book because the Central Park Five story influenced a very pivotal year in my teaching career. It was the nonfiction aspect of my Monster (Walter Dean Myers) unit, the first unit I ever designed solo. I couldn't wait to see what Yusef had to tell the world.
I'll admit that I hesitated at the first chapter. He is a very dedicated man to his faith, and as a "not quite atheist, but far from spiritual" individual, I worried that his story would simply be a PSA to lean on God to get you through. But this book is so much more than that. He moves through so many ways of thinking, and really lays out how his experience taught him so much despite it being a traumatic and devastating injustice. He has a unique way of being extremely relatable, no matter your faith, experience, or background.
I appreciated how he brought in so many other books and people to outline his thoughts. His voice is calm and welcoming on the pages. In many ways, this book felt refreshing and almost healing.
This book will be one I reread and suggest to anyone who will listen. I believe everyone can get something from this book.
I pre-ordered this book because the Central Park Five story influenced a very pivotal year in my teaching career. It was the nonfiction aspect of my Monster (Walter Dean Myers) unit, the first unit I ever designed solo. I couldn't wait to see what Yusef had to tell the world.
I'll admit that I hesitated at the first chapter. He is a very dedicated man to his faith, and as a "not quite atheist, but far from spiritual" individual, I worried that his story would simply be a PSA to lean on God to get you through. But this book is so much more than that. He moves through so many ways of thinking, and really lays out how his experience taught him so much despite it being a traumatic and devastating injustice. He has a unique way of being extremely relatable, no matter your faith, experience, or background.
I appreciated how he brought in so many other books and people to outline his thoughts. His voice is calm and welcoming on the pages. In many ways, this book felt refreshing and almost healing.
This book will be one I reread and suggest to anyone who will listen. I believe everyone can get something from this book.