Don't think I've ever even read a political memoir before, but after hearing Ilhan Omar on The Majority Report podcast on Friday, October 15, I thought would pick up her book, This Is What America Looks Like: My Journey from Refugee to Congresswoman, which just came out in paperback. Fairly easy read. I absorbed most of it in two sittings: last Sunday and yesterday (Saturday).
The beginning was interesting with her upper class upbringing in Somalia before it turned into a failed state. I did get a little annoyed when she talked about being in a Kenya refugee camp and mentioned they found ways to avoid malaria, but she didn't give any details, though that may be more fault of her ghostwriter.
Upon her arrival in America, she goes into how conservative she is some ways. For example, wearing leggings in high school because her faith says don't show skin. And since a teenager she's always hidden her hair, even to the point that there are no photos of her in the book, past childhood, without some type of head covering. I dunno, that seems to clash with her progressive politics; then again, most people are complicated.
Fascinating to learn that that Somali community here in the States is split between the status quo and progressives. Crazy how when Omar was running for office in Minnesota, Somali elders practiced political dark arts on social media. Explains why right-wing attacks in Washington, D.C. don't faze her.
Near the end of the book, she seemed to recycle stump speeches from the campaign trail. Obviously, I speed-read those sections.
Overall, glad I picked up this paperback. Don't think I'll read another political memoir for a long time. It's basically a 250-page press release.
I give Omar's book three out of five stars.
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