The Distance Between Us: A Memoir | 
pickThis may be my favorite book of the year! I felt like I was standing right next to Reyna more than once. As a social worker, I couldn‘t stop thinking about all of their ACEs scores, even her parents. Her writing was beautiful, came across honest and was very moving! Book 21 of 2020
pickGot A LOT of #audioknitting done yesterday as I could not stop listening to this vividly written and moving memoir. Highly recommend and I‘m really looking forward to Thursday‘s virtual Alta California Book Club discussion with the author!
https://www.altaonline.com/california-book-club/a34455377/the-distance-between-u...
#IntegrateYourShelf
Not sure i‘ll get my copy in time but Loki g forward to tuning it to the author discussing the book - on Nov 19. Love the California Book Club!
https://www.altaonline.com/california-book-club/a34455377/the-distance-between-u...
#nfn2020
🙄 I must really want to read this... ordered it twice 🙄🙄🙄 but my daughter will be happy, I always give her my duplicates...
pickIt was a great week for reading here! I finished and really enjoyed all three of these books.
The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande: This is Grande‘s true account of her childhood spent in Mexico and, eventually, the USA. Many of her experiences were horrific yet she went on to be the first in her family to graduate from college and is now an award winning novelist and inspirational speaker. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3162260802
This is not a TBR post. It‘s a TBF post. TBF = to be finished.
It‘s not abnormal for me to start books, set them aside, and eventually get back to them. It is abnormal to have 8 of them left unfinished (aside from my 3 DNFs, not pictured) by the end of the month. I am actively engaged in a few of these and will likely finish them early on this month. I might get back to a few others. I might not. We shall see. But I started them all in January.
pickOne of the best memoirs I have ever read. This book made me cry and then made me sad and happy all the same time.
pickA solid #memoir, whose strength lies in its solid depiction of how the immigration struggle effects the children, not only with feelings of abandonment when they are left behind, but how those emotional scars can turn into resentment which in turn effect the parent-child relationship when they‘re reunited. While also having to struggle balancing assimilating to the U.S. while not losing sight of their culture & traditions from their home country.
🌞📖🍃🌱🤓 #BookClubPick #Memoir #LatinX #Diversity #LibrarianLife
Taking advantage of the sun finally coming out to read my bookclub book in the courtyard at work while on my break.
It's a tough look into the toll immigration takes on the kids that are left behind while parents cross, as well as the struggle to rebuild bonds once reunited, very good so far.
Turns out it was the 'One Book One Maryland' read in 2014!
Happy hump day Littens!
pickAn interesting look at an illegal immigrant from Mexico to America. Her family crosses back and forth, parents leaving children. It is about different types of poverty and parent relationships. Moving at times.
pickA powerful novel that describes the immigrant experience - from poverty, dreams of the "other land" and lack of opportunity to opportunity and success. These factors combined with parental abuse, abandonment and alcoholism render the struggle even more difficult. Considering our current political status regarding immigration, this is a highly relevant novel that provides insight as to what it means and costs to hope for a better life.
“We were already living in some kind of Hell in this strange place of broken beauty.”
― Reyna Grande, The Distance Between Us: A Memoir
pickVery good book makes you think and feel soooo much. Read it over 2 days!
so-soI really wanted to like this book. But it's unfocused and draggy. The best part, which comprises maybe a quarter, is the section about the actual journey to the United States, and her early adjustment to living here. The rest feels like a generic bad-childhood memoir. I have a lot of sympathy for her and her siblings, but it doesn't make for enthralling reading.
The first half dragged, but I'm finding the second half, about living in the USA with her father and his second wife, more interesting.
pickExcellent memoir. Grande's parents left her and her siblings in Mexico to be raised by grandparents, as they themselves worked illegally in LA. Eventually the marriage collapsed and her father brought the 3 oldest to LA. They later received green cards under amnesty--and she is now a college graduate, award-winning author, and married mom. The hardships, hunger, poverty, teasing, and successes are all discussed. Would be great for older YA.
Someone thinks I should be giving belly rubs.
Next up! The last book from my last library haul. Yesterday's haul will have to wait lol.
Two books on my enormous TBR pile by #MexicanAmericanWriters. One is an eye-opening memoir about life before and after illegally emigrating from Mexico to the United States, the other a novel about family and friendship of two teenage boys who struggles with racial & ethnic identity, and sexuality. #tbr
#mexicanormexicanamericanwriters #maybookflowers
These are my choices for #immigrantstories.
Here I am for young readers, One Green Apple and The Distance Between Us for tweens. #booktober @RealLifeReading
