A well-written look at how immigration works on an individual level.
An immigration lawyer shares client stories.
In this debut nonfiction book, Cohen relates the tales of several of the people she represented as an immigration attorney at a leading law firm, some paying clients and others pro bono. The stories reveal a range of experiences, from refugees seeking political asylum to middle-class professionals immigrating by choice. Several of the author’s clients qualified for “extraordinary ability” status, including an Albanian writer, an Asian violinist, and a Honduran school principal, while others followed more mundane paths, which Cohen still depicts in detail, showing each individual’s merit. The case studies also examine the complicated and often bureaucratic process of establishing legal status, permanent residency, and citizenship, revealing how a single sympathetic or disdainful immigration officer can determine a person’s fate. Although the epilogue offers some suggestions for activism and a broader look at immigration rules, the book approaches the issue from the perspective of individual cases rather than policy, an effective method of addressing a complex and often emotional topic. The author’s personal interest in and respect for all her clients is evident (“I felt fiercely protective of him, a feeling I have about all my clients who face life-altering consequences if their cases fail,” she explains at one point), making it easy for readers to connect with each case she profiles. Throughout her book, written with Taylor, Cohen reminds readers that her position at a major law firm allowed her clients access to more connections and influence than most people have. The concluding pages suggest ways in which the immigration process can be made more equitable. The writing is strong, and readers of legal dramas will enjoy the tales of racing to courthouses, developing winning strategies, and waiting for verdicts. Readers who are unfamiliar with immigration law will find the volume extremely informative without being overly technical, while those with knowledge of the process will not consider it too simple. The focus on the clients’ experiences makes the book broadly appealing.
A well-written look at how immigration works on an individual level.Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-63299-487-5
Page Count: 208
Publisher: River Grove Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An engrossing and ominous chronicle, told by a master of the form.
Documenting perilous times.
In his most recent behind-the-scenes account of political power and how it is wielded, Woodward synthesizes several narrative strands, from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel to the 2024 presidential campaign. Woodward’s clear, gripping storytelling benefits from his legendary access to prominent figures and a structure of propulsive chapters. The run-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is tense (if occasionally repetitive), as a cast of geopolitical insiders try to divine Vladimir Putin’s intent: “Doubt among allies, the public and among Ukrainians meant valuable time and space for Putin to maneuver.” Against this backdrop, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham implores Donald Trump to run again, notwithstanding the former president’s denial of his 2020 defeat. This provides unwelcome distraction for President Biden, portrayed as a thoughtful, compassionate lifetime politico who could not outrace time, as demonstrated in the June 2024 debate. Throughout, Trump’s prevarications and his supporters’ cynicism provide an unsettling counterpoint to warnings provided by everyone from former Joint Chief of Staff Mark Milley to Vice President Kamala Harris, who calls a second Trump term a likely “death knell for American democracy.” The author’s ambitious scope shows him at the top of his capabilities. He concludes with these unsettling words: “Based on my reporting, Trump’s language and conduct has at times presented risks to national security—both during his presidency and afterward.”
An engrossing and ominous chronicle, told by a master of the form.Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781668052273
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
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A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change.
Artist and activist Vaid-Menon demonstrates how the normativity of the gender binary represses creativity and inflicts physical and emotional violence.
The author, whose parents emigrated from India, writes about how enforcement of the gender binary begins before birth and affects people in all stages of life, with people of color being especially vulnerable due to Western conceptions of gender as binary. Gender assignments create a narrative for how a person should behave, what they are allowed to like or wear, and how they express themself. Punishment of nonconformity leads to an inseparable link between gender and shame. Vaid-Menon challenges familiar arguments against gender nonconformity, breaking them down into four categories—dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope (fear of the consequences of acceptance). Headers in bold font create an accessible navigation experience from one analysis to the next. The prose maintains a conversational tone that feels as intimate and vulnerable as talking with a best friend. At the same time, the author's turns of phrase in moments of deep insight ring with precision and poetry. In one reflection, they write, “the most lethal part of the human body is not the fist; it is the eye. What people see and how people see it has everything to do with power.” While this short essay speaks honestly of pain and injustice, it concludes with encouragement and an invitation into a future that celebrates transformation.
A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change. (writing prompt) (Nonfiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09465-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020
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