Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Finished Reading: June 25, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Favorite Quote(s):

"My life was narrated for me by others. Their voices were forceful, emphatic, absolute. It had never occurred to me that my voice might be as strong as theirs."

"'You can love someone and still choose to say goodbye to them,' she says now. 'You can miss a person every day, and still be glad that they are no longer in your life.'" 

Review:
I think I might need to sit with this for a bit longer to write a worthy review. For now, I'm questioning so many things... like public education and my role in it. Are we providing students with the tools they need to for higher education or are we draining the curiosity out of them? 3/7ths of the Westovers have PhDs. I think there is something there to at least discuss. I'm also thinking about my interactions with my sister. We are very different people and have never experienced or interpreted a mutual event in our lives the same way. It's an incredibly lonely experience to be denied your own perspective, but it feels a bit like Tara has validated me on her journey to validate herself.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Finished Reading: April 18, 2018
Format: Book
Favorite Quote(s):

"When you leave you must remember to come back for the others. A circle, understand? You will always be Esperanza. You will always be Mango Street. You can't erase what you know. You can't forget who you are."

Review:
The copy I have is the 25th anniversary edition and in the introduction Ms. Cisneros talks about her intentions for the book. She said she wanted you to be able to pick it up and read a story without feeling like you missed anything. Each chapter a being able to stand alone. Normally, I very much like this. I love short stories, but at first I felt it was too disconnected and I had difficulty imagining Esperanza's world. The more I read, the more there was to imagine and by the end I was surprised that she only lived on Mango street for one year because I had imagined an entire childhood there. Some of the chapters were short but left me with such a vivid image that I didn't need any more words. Others left me wondering and wishing there was more to it. Overall, I really liked the book, especially towards the end. I have favorite chapters that I will come back to again and again but I don't think I will ever reread the entire book.

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Finished Reading: March 10, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Favorite Quote(s):

"Each one of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done."
"The opposite of poverty is not wealth, the opposite of poverty is justice."

Review:
Bryan Stevenson is a human rights hero and more people should know his name.
This book alternates between telling the true story of wrongfully convicted death row inmate Walter McMillian and discussing real-life death row and life imprisonment stories from Mr. Stevenson's years as an attorney at his organization the Equal Justice Initiative. The chapters that Mr. Stevenson wraps around Mr. McMillian's story include those focusing on children being tried and sentenced as adults (despite being as young as 10 years old), women being imprisoned for life for giving birth to still-born babies, and those with intellectual disabilities who were not capable of defending themselves at trial. He writes about his treatment as a black lawyer in the south, the treatment of people who have served their time by society upon release (even when they didn't actually commit a crime), and the trauma and violation inmates are exposed to while in prison (particularly children sent to adult prisons). Please consider reading this book and making a monthly donation to EJI.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Finished Reading: January 9, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Favorite Quote(s):

"The truth casts a shadow over the kitchen - people like us in situations like this become hashtags, but they rarely get justice."

Review:
Phenomenal! Should be assigned to all high school students and I'll recommend it at my high school. This is an important read that will broaden perspectives that sorely need to be broadened (white folks, I'm thinking of you). Starr is funny, relatable, and genuine. I'm especially a fan of her regular Harry Potter references. This is the first book of the 36 I'm going to read this year. I'm glad I chose such a powerful story to start with. I will reread for years.