American Like Me - Post 1

If I'm being completely honest, I chose to read American Like Me because it was the first book on the reading list, and it seemed like a book that could capture my attention. American Like Me, by American Ferrera, is a collection of short stories written by people in all different industries on how their culture affected their upbringings. I have a relatively short attention span (thank you Instagram Reels), so I thought this book could keep my interest piqued. 

I was correct! 

Starting with America's personal story, I could feel her authentic voice coming through while she spoke of her experiences. America's perspective is captivating when she speaks on finding authentic jobs, navigating the emotions that come with growing up, and being told you're different. I enjoyed reading about her unique childhood and looked forward to the upcoming stories. While reading about the upbringings of Reshma, Al, Jenny, and Bambadjan, I started to notice the difference in each individuals writing style. I found some essays, for example Al's with bolded headlines and specific sections, were more interesting for me to read and kept my attention. These differences in technique made me even more aware of the variety of cultural upbringings, whether it was location in the US, choice of stories to tell, or even the culture being spoken about itself. The differences were easy to appreciate, and I look forward to learning about more traditions and values. I hope to find writing styles (and stories) that inspire me as a writer and American to embrace my differences and be my authentic self.