A memoir by progressive trailblazer Ilhan Omar, the first African refugee, the first Somali-American, and one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress.
Few things are more unexpected than a genuinely inspirational memoir by a freshman member of Congress. If you’re looking for the perfect antidote to the perpetual tweetstorm of insanity and hatred from Donald Trump, try this beautiful new book from the Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
... a pretty good book. It is indeed a political memoir, as feared, but Omar and her coauthor, Rebecca Paley, have a straightforward, highly readable storytelling style, and the congresswoman has a compelling story ... Memoirs put the reader in a curious position, because much of what is revealed is none of our business, yet a narrative quickly becomes irksome to the reader when information is too vague. As readers, we are entitled to complain. In this vein, there are some confusing gaps in Omar’s narrative of her marriages. Still, she’s much more candid than most politicians would be, acknowledging a 'Britney Spears–like meltdown' in which she shaved her head, left her husband, and briefly eloped with another man.
An introspective and self-assured memoir that unfortunately suffers from a jumpy narrative in later chapters. Recommended for readers interested in refugee and immigration stories, but the book may disappoint those hoping for details on politics and policy proposals.
