A Book A Week

With the dust of the contentious 2016 presidential election finally settling, Americans are beginning to look toward the 2020 contest. As the early stages of this election begin to come into view, potential Democratic candidates have started to offer a counter choice to Donald Trump's controversial presidency. It seems to be a prerequisite for each prospective candidate to publish a memoir that gives voters an intro to their family upbringing, political history, and hopes for America's future.

In his memoir, An Unlikely Journey, Julian Castro attempts to plant the seeds for his own political future. Castro recently announced his candidacy for President, so this book seems a bit inevitable. His story is pretty compelling. In sharp contrast to the rhetoric of the current President, Castro writes about the value of immigrants to the US. His family descends from Mexican immigrants, and he was raised with a deep connection to his culture. He witnessed the ways his family members worked hard and persevered to build their own version of the American dream. Moreso, he saw his mother's never-flinching commitment to provide him and his identical twin brother with the opportunities only a solid education could provide.

Julian has had an interest in politics for most of his adult life. He's grown and learned from each of those experiences. From student council member, city council member, city mayor, and finally head of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Castro has dedicated his life to public service. He writes about the challenges of those demanding positions and the need for balancing them with the needs of his young family. Ultimately, his most passionate explanations are the ways in which he eschewed personal gain for the needs of his constituents. Specifically, Castro writes about initially turning down a job with the Obama administration so that he could see a large education policy for San Antonio children come to fruition.

San Antonio is my hometown, and I remember Castro as being the first mayor I was actually aware of. His Pre-K for SA initiative still stands as a lasting testament to his commitment to providing a strong education to future generations. Despite my personal connection to his story, I'd be lying if I said An Unlikely Journey is a good read. He fell into the trap that many political memoirs do. His personal story is compelling, but his writing on political aspirations and specific policy halt any narrative momentum. Instead of coming off as an inspiring story of rising from nothing, An Unlikely Journey ends up being a mere clog in Castro's political machine.


For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 3)