I think this is a really fascinating concept and I think the author is a great writer but I couldn't stay invested in the narrative after about 10% in. DNF

I found this book to be a bit all over the place, and not a great book-fit for me. Some of it worked, but other sections seemed like out of place tangents or key phrase / name dropping. I found the beginning of this book, where the author talks about his struggles in high school, an interesting and important read on the positive vs negative effects of labels / IEPs / special education programs and the lasting implications on a person’s mental health. Then there is an awful lot abut the challenges journalists faced during the transition to on-line news / media platforms. Some interesting themes of imposter syndrome and looking for someone / thing to blame when things didn’t work out. Overall was just an “ok” read for me.

💕You might like this book if:
🔹 you like memoirs that are more like a collection of loosely related articles
🔹 you like authors that reflect on the impacts of mental health
🔹 you are interested in memoirs that share a person’s journey to finding their self-worth

To be honest, I found this book to be boring and the author’s voice whiny, instead of introspective, about higher education and his choice to forgo it. Speaking of choice, the author’s decision to become an unpaid intern at. 35 to break into the media space was interesting, but did not hold my attention for long. All in all, it is a book, but not a worthwhile one to pick up.

A moving, insightful memoir about the social landcaspe of a country through the eyes of one of its people. Zara has a beautiful style to his writing, and, being that I'm not american myself, it was really interesting to read about how different the educational system functions in that part of the world, and how its in-and-outs alter and affect the lives of the people who are submitted to it.

Zara brings a refreshing perspective to the education conversation. For so long we've culturally offered only one trajectory for adolescents upon leaving high school - and for many, the timing might not be great or even the best fit for personality or learning style. Loved this story and will recommend.