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katzreads's review against another edition
3.0
This is not really a Spanish language book, but I put it in this category because it is the final book in a series, and the first three books (of which I read two) were written in Spanish. I did not enjoy this one as much as the others. Perhaps the reason I didn't enjoy this book is the same reason I did enjoy the Spanish memoirs: the language was very simplistic! It was basically, first I did this, then I did this, then I did this. It told the story of his years at Columbia University earning his master's and doctoral degrees, and included a very brief description of his wedding to Laura, her job teaching high school on Staten Island, and the births of their two children. There was very little emotion in the book, other than to say "we were sad that my father couldn't come to the wedding" or "we were excited to learn that we were going to have a baby." He mentions his father a few times, but he does not see him at all during these years. By the end of the book he has accepted a job at the University of Santa Clara and he and Laura and their two children have moved back to California.
stephen_coulon's review against another edition
3.0
Jiménez, one of the world's preeminent scholars of Mexican American studies and literature serves as a professor of modern languages and literature at Santa Clara University. He took his PhD through a highly competitive and exclusive program at Columbia University in the 1960s, a time when hispanics were all but absent at Ivy League schools, where his choice to study Mexican American lit was belittled and suppressed. The truly inspiring story here is not just where Jiménez ended up but where he began. He spent his childhood as a migrant worker in California, a child laborer picking strawberries and cotton along side his parents in blazing fields, eyes burning from crop duster pesticides, empty stomach, bleeding hands. Moving from school to school, erratically enrolled, deported to Mexico, finding a way back in, just gaining basic literacy was (and still is) a struggle for migrant workers in America. Jiménez made it "out" but never disconnected from the migrant community, spending the rest of his life fighting for our society to extend basic dignity toward the laborers we so markedly depend upon.
mjmbecky's review
3.0
Francisco Jimenez shares his experiences in graduate school, working to a PhD in Spanish Literature. This is meant to be the fourth installment in his series, but this is the only one I've read. I'm not sure if the other books would help provide more context for how amazing it is that he is in graduate school, but you do get a very up-front tale of what it's like getting a graduate degree--in other words, an incredible amount of work.
While this is interesting and I appreciate his journey through grad school and his early years of marriage, the writing is a bit dry. I thought this might work for YA audiences (and I think it's meant to be), but it reads like an autobiography from the 1970's. I think that it might be good for me to check out his earlier pieces. This one might be too hard to relate to for teens (and even most adults), but is still admirable that he did so much with his education and life!
While this is interesting and I appreciate his journey through grad school and his early years of marriage, the writing is a bit dry. I thought this might work for YA audiences (and I think it's meant to be), but it reads like an autobiography from the 1970's. I think that it might be good for me to check out his earlier pieces. This one might be too hard to relate to for teens (and even most adults), but is still admirable that he did so much with his education and life!
wanderingcurls's review
5.0
I enjoyed all three of Dr. Jimenez's autobiographical works: The Circuit, Breaking Through, and Reaching Out, and now, I can add Taking Hold to that list. I greatly admire Dr. Jimenez for his courage to share his successes and struggles in graduate school and to fight for the inclusion of Mexican American literature in mainstream education. He is an incredible writer and an even more extraordinary man.
booknightowl's review against another edition
5.0
I love read about people who come nothing the struggles they have get they are. It should be a must read for all seniors in high schools
idontkaren's review against another edition
5.0
Picked up the galley version at ALA and read it on the flight home. There is something mesmerizing about how he writes, it's straightforward yet emotional. His work ethic is as impressive as ever. He brings the reader into a volatile time in history, when the Vietnam War leads to riots at Columbia University and when studying Mexican American literature in graduate/doctoral programs is uncommon and even controversial. Luckily, his background as an immigrant and strong ties to his ancestry lead to his involvement in social justice and changing academia for the better. This is a great addition to his memoir series.
amdame1's review against another edition
4.0
4th in the memoir series of a Mexican migrant immigrant boy who went on to Columbia University. In this particular book, Jiménez focuses on his time attending Columbia University, which involved leaving his family and girlfriend in California in order to go to school in New York City. He struggled with issues of race, money, loneliness, adequacy, etc. and was able to overcome many different obstacles during his there.
Personally, I love the determination this young man had and his continual will and drive to succeed despite various difficulties. I also think that it's very important for students to see this example, especially our Latino population. The thing I think students might struggle with is that the setting is mid to late 1960's and so many things may not make sense to them.
Personally, I love the determination this young man had and his continual will and drive to succeed despite various difficulties. I also think that it's very important for students to see this example, especially our Latino population. The thing I think students might struggle with is that the setting is mid to late 1960's and so many things may not make sense to them.
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