Jennine Capó Crucet

I knew I needed to read this book when I learned that students at a university had burned this book after she spoke there. It speaks directly to the white privilege that people in this country take advantage of every day while refusing to acknowledge it.

Thoughts from a Cuban-American author on her alienation from predominantly white spaces. Her essays on her experiences in academia were compelling (both from her POV as a first gen immigrant student and later as a Latinx professor), but I didn’t fully click on many of her other essays. Some nice insights peppered throughout but I didn’t care for the Disney or wedding hall content.

A biting and engaging memoir from a talented novelist. I read Make Your Home Among Strangers (and loved it) and find Crucet's insights to be particularly necessary in our current political moment. A must-read.

This is a powerful and piercing book. It has energized me to integrate it into my classroom curriculum this semester. I have lots to chew on.