AMERICAN PAPERS

MY LOVE LETTERS TO AMERICA

by Jayme Alencar de Oliveira Filho ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 9, 2024

 A foreign-born dentist reflects on his love for the United States in this nonfiction work.

The author, who lives in Chesapeake, Virginia, didn’t become a U.S. citizen until adulthood, but he claims that, despite his birth and upbringing in Brazil, he “was born an American.” In this homage to the nation he calls home, the author notes, “America is not a place; it is an ideal…defined by its relentless pursuit of dreams and justice.” Comprising a dozen brief essays of no more than a few pages, the collection provides a patriotic interpretation of the fundamentals of American history and government, with celebratory chapters on the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Pledge of Allegiance, and “What’s right about America” (the answer to which, writes Filho, is its diversity, innovation, and grassroots democratic ethos). Most notably, given the nature of contemporary political discourse, the author refuses to wade into the fraught terrain of culture wars or partisanship. The essay on “American Presidents,” for example, highlights inspirational speeches delivered by both Republicans and Democrats, from Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama, noting how the bipartisan array of politicians reflects “the enduring values” of the nation. While the book takes a positive approach to American history, its emphasis on diversity, inclusivity, and the importance of robust, democratic voting rights sets it at odds with far-right rhetoric increasingly prevalent on social media. Alternately, its neoliberal outlook emphasizes the role of entrepreneurship and a philosophy of hard work that “teaches us that easy is the worst enemy of progress.”

Alternately, other readers may be uncomfortable with the hagiographic approach to America’s Founding Fathers and history. The entry on “American Exceptionalism” centers on Abraham Lincoln’s sweeping vision delivered in the Gettysburg Address, but it fails to note the role of exceptionalism in America’s wars against Native Americans or imperialism in the Philippines and Hawaii. Glaringly, the words “racism” and “segregation” don’t appear at all in the text, painting a skewed portrait of American history that never challenges the unambiguous claim that the U.S. represents “a beacon of hope and possibility.” Scholars will most certainly squabble with the work’s uncritical approach and lack of citations. As a collection of self-described “love letters to America,” however, the book delivers its promised message. In addition to ably emphasizing the draw of the American dream to a naturalized citizen, Filho writes with an impassioned, engaging style. The author of multiple SF novels, Filho is a talented writer whose enthusiasm for the United States infuses every page. The absorbing essays are accompanied by full-color images and patriotic ornamentation. Also included is an original poem that commemorates America as a “land where dreams can still take flight.” At just over 70 pages, those expecting a nuanced take on American history will be sorely disappointed, while those seeking a refreshingly nonpartisan celebration of American democracy will find a jubilant celebration here. More attention could have been paid to the layout of its chapters, which appear to have no thematic or chronological organization, and the book abruptly concludes with a history of the Declaration of Independence.

A rousing, if overly optimistic, love letter to the United States.

Pub Date: July 9, 2024

ISBN: 9781962185264

Page Count: 71

Publisher: Underline Publishing LLC

Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2024

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

HISTORY | UNITED STATES | POLITICS