Review:
Kamala Harris was raised by parents who instilled a love of justice in her from a young age. Her mom (a breast cancer scientific researcher, originally born in India) and dad (an economics professor at Stanford, originally born in Jamaica) met through the civil rights movement while they were in graduate school. They taught Kamala that it was important to stand up for what was right, and she has been dedicated her life to doing just that. Harris has worn many hats throughout her career – District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California, and Senator on behalf of California. As of her recent announcement, she is adding Presidential Hopeful to that esteemed list.
In her book, Harris discusses everything from her political opinions to her industrious career to the pain of losing her mom to cancer. She gives us an in-depth look at major events that have happened in her career – the housing crisis, prison sentencing reform, the Back on Track program she spearheaded to reduce recidivism, the family separation policy at the U.S. border, and Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court were just a few topics she touches on. Harris is eloquent in her writing, and is both well-informed and passionate as she shares her opinions on political issues.
I love voting and elections. I think I am probably in the minority on that, as most people I know find politics exhausting. While I definitely don’t appreciate the vitriol that tends to characterize American elections, I find it absolutely thrilling that we as citizens get to have a hand in shaping what our government looks like. In considering who I want to vote for in the 2020 election, one of the best ways I have found to learn about candidates is to read their memoirs. The Truths We Hold is the first in what is sure to be a long line of books I read from presidential hopefuls before the 2020 election.
Favorite Passage:
A patriot is not someone who condones the conduct of our country whatever it does. It is someone who fights every day for the ideals of the country, whatever it takes.
What I Loved Most:
Harris discusses the American tendency toward false choices. For example, she states that most people feel you can either want the police to arrest dangerous criminals, or you can want the police to stop using excessive force. Harris says that you can and should want both – that you can support the brave men and women serving their country as police members while also wanting to hold them accountable for using unnecessary violence. Our current political system often says that you have to choose one side of an issue, even though most issues aren’t black and white enough to divide into only two choices. I personally hold the utmost respect for police officers, and I also believe that black lives matter. I appreciate Harris’s approach to criminal justice reform, stating that we need to hold our police officers accountable for using ethical tactics while creating an environment that supports our men and women in uniform.
Read this book if you like:
Being politically informed, memoirs, successful women of color, learning more about the legal system
Book Details:
- Author: Kamala Harris
- Publisher: Penguin Press
- Date of Publication: January 9, 2019
- Age Recommendation: Adult
- Find The Truths We Hold on Amazon if you’d like to own a copy!
- Check out The Truths We Hold on Worldcat to find it at a library near you!
The Lamp Post 