Official Review: Illegal Among Us by Martine Kalaw

[Joy Boudreau]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Illegal Among Us" by Martine Kalaw.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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It would be difficult to ignore the fact that immigration is a hot button topic in the United States today. Highly politicized, this issue alone has splintered the country. Politicians tend to have one of two viewpoints. Either fearing what some illegal immigrants may bring into the country (drugs, crime, etc.,) or feeling that we have a problem with various illegal immigrants taxing our already strained financial coffers, some politicians seek to put a halt to all immigrants entering the country. Other politicians take a more laissez faire approach and welcome everyone. Which is the best viewpoint? Could we agree that there might be merit to the overall philosophy of both camps? Often, when there is a highly polarized issue like that of immigration, the wisest position is that of taking a step back, being honest about all the issues, and finding a place of truth somewhere in the middle.

Illegal Among Us: A Stateless Woman’s Quest for Citizenship by Martine Kalaw seeks to put a face to this dividing issue. Ms. Kalaw puts forward her own personal journey from that of a child being brought from illegally from Zambia to the United States to the day she finally achieves her lifelong dream of becoming a United States Citizen. Fraught with danger, emotional highs and lows, Ms. Kalaw tells her compelling life story.

Between the lines of her trying to find a place within the country she grew up in and identified with, Ms. Kalaw is contacted by an African man claiming to be her biological father. Who is this man? Why did he wait so long to contact Ms. Kalaw? What does he want of her? Can she find her truth? Follow Martine Kalaw as she struggles to become legal within a country that does not want her, yet is rejected by the country of her birth. Travel to Africa with her while she traces her roots and learns the reasons behind her intense struggles.

I found Illegal Among Us to be highly personal and compelling. At first, I was thrown by the sudden switches between “next step in the immigration process,” “journey back in time to childhood,” and “trip to Africa.” After several chapters into the book, I knew better what to expect, making it easier to read from that point on. Ms. Kalaw is not only well-spoken, but she also has a way of telling her life story simply and yet passionately. Some of the more painful parts of her past were obviously downplayed, yet I still felt and empathized with the raw emotion. Some types of terror are not easily put into words. They must simply be stated and taken on their own merit.

I feel that the reason this book was written was not merely to tell one person’s story, but to open the eyes of the reader to the humanity behind “illegal immigration.” Did I come away feeling that all illegal immigrants ought to be given a free pass? Not particularly. However, I did come away knowing that lumping this entire group of people under one stark label of “BAD” is, in itself, a form of abuse. Throughout history, fear is the primary reason for many stereotypes. This fear of a people group that we do not understand allows us to designate people as “monsters.” Do we really want to live our lives in fear of the person next to us on the bus? Perhaps in learning to understand others, we will not only come away enriched, but we will also be better equipped to understand that not all "illegal immigrants" are "evil." Perhaps one day we will see changes on a national level that take into account each person on individual merit, rather than limiting ourselves to picking a side between “everyone is good” or “everyone is bad.”

I feel that anyone who enjoys a fascinating memoir would enjoy this book. I also feel that anyone who is willing to take an honest look at the divisive issue of immigration must pick up this book and others like it. If you are inclined to hold to your predetermined viewpoint, do not read this book, as it might change your mind. I would love to give Ms. Kalaw’s book a 4-star rating, but for two issues. My first issue is the difficulty I had following the storyline when I first started reading it. The other issue is that I found several editing errors such as “lets” instead of “let’s” or misplaced/missing commas. Because of these two issues, I give the book 3 out of 4 stars.

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Illegal Among Us
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Like greenstripedgiraffe's review? Post a comment saying so!

[ElizaBeth Adams]

So many polarizing issues out there have a human face and story behind the issue, and unfortunately, the human connection is often lost in the debate. I am glad this woman has shared her story, and hopefully no matter where we land on policy, we can react to the people involved with compassion. Thanks for your excellent review.

[kandscreeley]

The problem is it's hard to divide the "bad" from the "good." Unfortunately it's not a cut and dry issue, at least not as much as politicians like to think it is. I'm not sure what the solution is. I'm glad things worked out for the author this time. I am curious about her story, but I don't know that it would influence my views on illegal immigration. Thanks for the information. Interesting review as always.

[maggi3]

This is a timely and important discussion. I definitely agree that we have to find a solution somewhere in the middle. Unfortunately, it seems that neither side wants to compromise. Either way, this sounds like a great book to inform people about immigration. Thanks for the review!

[Brendan Donaghy]

Sounds like an interesting book on what is a highly topical matter just now. Immigration is a huge issue, not just in the US, but all over Europe and the UK. Books like this one are a welcome addition, if only to remind us that there are individual stories behind the headlines. Great review!

[Raven009]

I agree with the idea that illegal immigration has been portrayed as a very divisive issue. I wish there were more stories like this because it sounds like the author shared the human side of immigration that doesn't always get reported on the news. It's really interesting to think of people like Martine who were caught between two countries in the sense that they were having difficulty feeling a true sense of identification in either country. Thanks for having the courage to review a book that addresses such a politically charged topic.

[Kelsey Hatch]

This sounds like a fascinating, informative, and humanizing book. So often illegal immigrants are given the title of "aliens" and thought of as less-than. It is very important that we view all immigrants as people - not necessarily good or bad. I would definitely be interested in this book, despite its incongruences. Thanks for the review!

[Brendan Donaghy]

This sounds like a fascinating, informative, and humanizing book. So often illegal immigrants are given the title of "aliens" and thought of as less-than. It is very important that we view all immigrants as people - not necessarily good or bad. I would definitely be interested in this book, despite its incongruences. Thanks for the review!

'So often illegal immigrants are given the title of "aliens" and thought of as less-than.'
So right. When I read the review, what came into my head was the old Woody Guthrie song, 'Deportee'. Alien/illegal/deportee/asylum seeker - we have lots of labels!

[Uinto]

I like the subject matter on immigration handled by the novel. Right now, it is a hot topic that is eliciting all manner of emotions on both sides of the divide. Thanks for a wonderful review.

[Rachel Lea]

I agree with you that to generalize the people in any group as "all bad" or "all good" is unwise. Kalaw's account sounds very interesting and it's helpful to hear another perspective on this issue. Thanks for your review!

[Washboard]

This is a topic that I have been very interested in learning more about. I am so glad to have the opportunity to read a personal account of the whole process. Thank you for your thoughtful review - it convinced me that this one is worth the read!

[Mai Tran]

Thank you for the review. It sounds like a compelling story. I'm glad to know the book isn't all personal, and that the author means to help people understand what it's like to be an immigrant.