Book Review: I Love Yous Are For White People

I just ended a wondrously tumultuous journey reading Lac Su’s I Love Yous are for White People. In his memoir, Su poignantly paints vivid picture after picture of his family’s escape from Vietnam and their subsequent survival in the US. While he isn’t able to divulge every single detail, the stories and the snapshots of his childhood he shares gives the reader an amply candid look into the (often harsh) reality of Su’s journey.

Su is more than wonderfully honest with his readers and every chapter feels as though he is sitting in front of me, sharing the stories as if we were life-long friends pouring our hearts out.

Usually in a book review, I like to refer back to certain chapters or sections and share how it struck me. But with Su’s book, I’d be talking about every chapter, every moment, every photo — from dumpster diving with his “Pa” who wanted to provide for them any way he could, to when he is jumped by gang members, to rubbing Tiger Balm on his little sister the morning after he spanked her, I could go on and on.

I really want to write a review that does this book justice, but I’m still reeling from the emotional journey Su took me on. Honestly, I just want to read more — I finished the book thinking, Is there more? Is he going to write more? I must have more! And I realize that my words may just be a feeble attempt to write a review about a book that is JUST THAT GOOD. All I know is, that I Love Yous are for White People is a more than spectacular memoir written by an honest man who had a more than tough journey. I can’t imagine the road he had to travel to write down some of the painful moments of his life, but I’m so glad he did. Not everyone’s journey is showered with blessings and ease. People may escape to America for a dream, but some dreams remain dreams and some dreams come at a severe price. And it’s another reminder that not all Asian immigrant kids go on to Ivy League schools on a road paved with straight As.

If it isn’t plainly clear by now that I LOVE this book and have come to love the man who wrote it. I don’t know what to tell you, except that you should totally check this book out.