CYBILS SENIOR HIGH NONFICTION: Nevertheless We Persisted: 48 Voices of Defiance, Strength, and Courage
ABOUT THE BOOK
A powerful collection of essays from actors, activists, athletes, politicians, musicians, writers, and teens, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, actress Alia Shawkat, actor Maulik Pancholy, poet Azure Antoinette, teen activist Gavin Grimm, and many, many more, each writing about a time in their youth when they were held back because of their race, gender, or sexual identity--but persisted.
"Aren't you a terrorist?" "There are no roles for people who look like you." "That's a sin." "No girls allowed." They've heard it all. Actress Alia Shawkat reflects on all the parts she was told she was too "ethnic" to play. Former NFL player Wade Davis recalls his bullying of gay classmates in an attempt to hide his own sexuality. Teen Gavin Grimm shares the story that led to the infamous "bathroom bill," and how he's fighting it. Holocaust survivor Fanny Starr tells of her harrowing time in Aushwitz, where she watched her family disappear, one by one.
What made them rise up through the hate? What made them overcome the obstacles of their childhood to achieve extraordinary success? How did they break out of society's limited view of who they are and find their way to the beautiful and hard-won lives they live today? With a foreword by Minnesota senator and up-and-coming Democratic party leader Amy Klobuchar, these essays share deeply personal stories of resilience, faith, love, and, yes, persistence.
REVIEW
Books like this one that have multiple authors often carry the risk of being uneven in quality, depending on the authors included. I was impressed by the high quality of all the selections in this book. That's rare for a book like this. I found each account compelling and thought-provoking. I also appreciated the variety of experiences that were included. Obstacles of many kinds are shared by those telling their stories in this book. Physical disability, childhood trauma, bullying, racism, lack of diversity in various professions, and other challenges are described in various accounts. What I found especially inspiring is the way each of these people found ways past the obstacles in their lives to find success. Now it certainly wasn't easy for any of them, and many of them still face opposition in a variety of ways, but they persisted in the face of serious challenges. Whether one agrees with their actions or politics or activism or not, one can't help but admire the determination and courage they exhibited along the way. A truly inspiring collection of stories that reminds the reader that life is hard but it doesn't have to be impossible.
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