A Memoir of Identity, Justice, and Living Between Worlds
July 1, 2020
A mixed-race TV host shares her life experiences. Born in 1968 to a Puerto Rican mother and African American father, Hostin was raised in "the mythical heart of the Boogie Down Bronx." Though her early years were filled with loving family members, they were also marked by trauma brought on by poverty, alcoholism, and violence. While these experiences were difficult and chaotic, they forced her to hone the highly useful ability to slow down in stressful situations. She learned Spanish and was well educated by her parents, with outings to museums, botanical gardens, and other culturally rich places and events, but this only increased the perceived differences between Hostin and her schoolmates. Throughout her life, the author has faced prejudice, which becomes one of the primary themes of the narrative. After graduating from Notre Dame Law School and embarking on a career in law, she moved into journalism, working as a legal consultant on several TV programs--including the O'Reilly Factor, where she debated legal issues with the host and with Megyn Kelly. When Trayvon Martin was killed in 2012, Hostin, who worked at CNN at the time, pushed to make sure he was portrayed fairly. Eventually, through numerous moves among networks, Hostin moved into her role as a co-host on The View, a position she currently holds. In addition to chronicling her own inspiring story, the author also digs into the intertwined undercurrents of racism and sexism that continue to plague the country. Hostin's willingness to return to these themes and investigate them honestly and openly distinguishes her memoir from the average rise-from-poverty tale. Through her eyes, readers will gain a better understanding of what it means to be a mixed-race woman in a society that too often defines people based on background or ethnicity rather than work ethic or merit. An educational memoir that illuminates the racism still rampant in the U.S.
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September 1, 2020
Hostin candidly recounts moments in life as a loving daughter, mother, federal prosecutor, legal affairs journalist, and popular cohost of the Emmy-winning show The View. Early on, the unforgiving streets of the Bronx prompted her parents to move and seek better opportunities in Manhattan. Hostin excelled in academics, earned scholarships, and learned how to embrace her African American and Puerto Rican heritage. Throughout her memoir, Hostin thoroughly examines how colorism, racism, inequality, and the lack of diversity in many spheres has affected society and her own opportunities in the fields of law and media. Her background and experiences led her to become a lawyer who has advocated for the underprivileged and championed the need for antiracism education and reform within our criminal-justice system. She observes that being a legal analyst for Fox News, CNN, and ABC has empowered her to confront questionable situations, establish connections, and bridge very different worlds. Hostin's story of overcoming obstacles is inspiring, teaching us not to become victims of our circumstances; life is what we make of it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)