Reviews by Category: Biography

Teen Review
They Called Us Enemy

They Called Us Enemy

By George Takei
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Nov 3, 2023

They Called Us Enemy, by the incredible George Takei, tells the story of the Japanese internment camps during World War two from the perspective of young George himself, who experienced it. This book shows the truth about the horrors many Japanese- Americans faced in America during World War II. From being forced to leave their homes and belongings behind, to living in stable cars that reek of manure, George tells the horrifying story of his childhood, and the war that overshadowed it all.

Teen Review
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Born a Crime

By Trevor Noah
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Pranav P.
Oct 31, 2023

Born a Crime, written by Trever Noah is quite wry, but it is hard-hitting. tribute to Noah’s mother, a deeply religious woman of unfathomable bravery. Trever Noah is one my favorite comedians. The book is a tribute to Noah’s mother, a deeply religious woman of unfathomable bravery.

Teen Review
Without You, There Is No Us book cover

Without You, There Is No Us

By Suki Kim
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Ava J.
Oct 9, 2023

In Without You, There Is No Us, Suki Kim shows us a world most would consider psychological warfare. Inside one of the most elite schools in Pyongyang, Suki Kim teaches English in a world of censorship from not only her Supervisors but also her peers. Suki finds herself bonding with her students which only makes being under the umbrella of the DPRKs watchful eye even more painful.  This book gives you the suspense of a mystery and the fear of a horror book…except it’s not fiction.

Teen Review
Born a Crime book cover

Born a Crime

By Trevor Boah
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Rishi Tek
Oct 9, 2023

Born a Crime is the story of comedian Trevor Noah who portrays his upbringing in apartheid-era South Africa, where his existence was illegal due to the government ban on interracial relationships. The book consists of a collection of stories from Noah's childhood and early adulthood. It explores his family's experiences under apartheid, his mother's determination to provide a better life, and his own journey of self-discovery.

Teen Review Sep 29, 2023

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an autobiography penned by Douglass as he recounts his life in slavery and his escape to freedom. This book offers a first hand view from someone who had to bear the harsh conditions of being a slave. Douglass starts off with being separated from his mother at a very young age and begins to work on plantations. Throughout his life as a slave, he moves to a plethora of different plantations with different plantation owners.

Teen Review
Born a Crime

Born a Crime

By Trevor Noah
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Mahad Z.
Sep 29, 2023

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah is a compelling memoir that explores the comedian's remarkable life growing up in apartheid-era South Africa. The book provides a unique perspective on the racial and social complexities of the country's history as Noah, a mixed-race child, navigates the challenges of being born to a black mother and a white father, a union that was illegal at the time.

Teen Review
The Reason I Jump

The Reason I Jump

By Naoki Higashida
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Sep 29, 2023

The Reason I Jump, by Naoki Higashida, is a short collection of questions, answers, and a couple short stories that all are written in hopes of showing what life’s like for somebody who is autistic. This collection was written when Higashida was 12 years old and is mainly compiled of the questions that people ask him about certain behaviors based in autism that they consider odd or confusing. He also wrote a few short stories, in an attempt to display autism in a way that neurotypical people could understand. 

Teen Review
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself book cover

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself

By Frederick Douglas
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Anonymous
Sep 20, 2023

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself by Frederick Douglass is a book about personal experience based on being enslaved. He writes this book on how he and other slaves were traded, and how he overcomes his situations. He then works to help other slaves and speak out to abolish slavery. 

Teen Review
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Born a Crime

By Trevor Noah
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Vaibhav K.
Sep 18, 2023

Trevor Noah recounts his childhood in South Africa after and during apartheid. It focuses on his relationship with his mother and some of his most interesting life stories, which make us feel sad, happy, angry and more. 

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