"This Is Me: A Story of Who We Are and Where We Came From"

 There's this trend going around on tik-tok right now talking about things that "live in your head rent-free". While it normally is used to talk about John Muloney quotes, which honestly, who doesn't have one of those living in their head rent-free. Mine is the entire "What's New Pussycat?" bit which you can watch here, if interested. 

But then I got thinking about books that live in my head rent-free. Recently I haven't been able to get This Is Me: A Story of Who We Are and Where We Came From by Jamie Lee Curtis.... And not in a good way. 

This is supposed to be a feel-good book about what it would be like to immigrate to the United States. Positing the question, if you could only bring a suitcase what would you put inside it? 

I am here for the idea, but you know what is not cute? This: 

Oh man, there is so much to unpack here. Have the indigenous tribes found all across the US suddenly been wiped out? Are their descendants not here anymore? I find this "everyone came with a suitcase" narrative problematic. Not to mention how does this translate to students whose ancestors did not choose to immigrate, but were ripped from their homeland to be slaves to wealthy white men? 

Eugh. I hate that my frustration at this book lives in my head rent-free. 

Be better, Jamie Lee Curtis. Be Better.