Reviews

• アメリカのメキシコ移民の心情を理解する書

  この本はメキシカンアメリカンである著者のリチャード・ロドリゲスがアメリカ社会に（特に学校に）どのように馴染んでいったかを詳細に語っている自伝の書です。当初は彼の母国語であるスペイン語しか話せなかった彼が、当時のアメリカ社会の圧力の影響で英語を強制的に学ばなくならなかった状況が彼自身の家族との関係の変化や彼自身の心情もふまえて書かれているので、ＥＳＬの先生には非常に参考になると思います。また、彼のバイリンガル教育、マイノリティ、アファーマティブアクション、人種、階級についても独自の考えを語っているので、ＥＳＬの先生はもとより、アメリカ社会に興味を持っている人にもお勧めです。私たちがもっている考え方と彼の考え方はかなり異なるので、自分の考え方を見つめなおすいいきっかけにもなると思います。英語もあまり難しくなく、値段も安価なので、興味のある方は是非購入して読んでみてください。

• The American dream is not always what it is cracked up to be. Rodriguez turned away from his heritage and assimilated to English speaking society while leaving his past behind him. This is so common nowadays, first generation immigrants lose their roots because of the pressures in American society. His story is not just about dealing with stereotypes in American society about minorities, but also dealing with the profound sense of lonelinesss in the academic community and the feeling of alienation that can occur between working class parents and their children who pursue higher education and become successful. While I am an avid proponent of learning many languages, anyone should be free to study whatever they want. Rodriguez’s path led him to reflect on life’s meaning in this autobiography. I believe that the title reflects his unconscious wish to know more about the past he left behind while pursuing academic success. It is not possible to accomplish everything in life. After reading this autobiography again, I see how the competitive and individualistic society in the U.S. can lead to a sense of alienation. I think bridges and gaps can be crossed if individuals make the effort to understand different people’s way of life. That is the hard work that all of us should be doing, including Rodriguez.

• alte Edition aber in guter Verfassung

• I bought it for a friend's birthday present. I haven't read this but I admire the writer.

• I’ve used this book as the centerpiece for my Composition 1 course , Richard Rodriguez tells a compelling story about his assimilation into American society. His predictions came true and his book speaks volumes about what the American identity is, and the struggles one faces as an immigrant.

• This book should be read by every student who is the first person in their family to go to college. Particularly if they grew up speaking a language other than English. These students lose their native culture by choice to become "American" and often their children want to regain the family's culture that their parents have lost. I taught English as a second language and saw many families fall apart as the children went on to college and almost felt ashamed of their hard working but uneducated parents. Sad! This is one boy's experience of how this happened to him. It is well written and illuminating.

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