Synopses & Reviews
Beloved by the immigrants and working people whose rights he has championed, Luis Gutierrez is sometimes referred to as the “Martin Luther King” or even “Moses” of the Latinos. In the no-nonsense, street-savvy, wise-cracking, and passionate voice that has made him a staple of television news commentary, he recounts his rise from cabdriver and pesky community organizer to becoming an influential member of Congress. From campaigning for Chicago’s first black mayor, Harold Washington, to finding his own political voice and shocking his new congressional colleagues with calls for a freeze on their own pay, to creating citizenship workshops for immigrants, being arrested in front of the Obama White House, and championing comprehensive immigration reform, Gutierrez gives us a riveting, refreshing true-life story full of humor and heart—one that has you laughing as you consider what a country this would be if all our politicians were this honest and this determined.
Review
"An Illinois congressman's straight-shooting, spirited memoir about his transformation from Chicago barrio boy into dedicated champion for Latino civil rights.... Funny, feisty and heartfelt." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Read and you'll feel better about America. Luis Gutierrez--a man full of passion, humor, and fascinating insights--has never forgotten where he came from, even as he has ascended to the highest levels of public power. His perspective on himself and his battles enlightens even as it entertains. Make no mistake, this is the story of an extraordinary American." Senator Bill Bradley
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"Honest and informative... rendered with great detail." Publishers Weekly
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"[Gutiérrez is] the national voice of immigration." Carol Felsenthal
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"Change, Gutiérrez -style, is not a matter of hope; it's one of force." Chicago Magazine
Review
"Gutierrez has been a U.S. congressman for 20 years, but he still thinks of himself as the Puerto Rican kid from Chicago, challenging the powers that be…. In candid, self-deprecating style, Gutierrez writes about city-council wars and his push for immigration reform from the perspective of a foot soldier, not a policy wonk." Booklist
Synopsis
A frank, often hilarious memoir of political awakening and savvy activism by the ten-term Latino congressman.
Synopsis
Beloved by the immigrants and working people whose rights he has championed, eleven-term Congressman Luis Gutierrez is, among Latinos and along with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the most recognized Hispanic public figure in America.
Here Gutierrez recounts his life between two worlds: too Puerto Rican in America, where he was born and yet was told to "go back to where you came from"; too American in Puerto Rico, where he was ridiculed as a "gringo" who couldn t speak Spanish. For much of his early life, he seemed like the last person who would rise to national prominence. Yet his tremendous will and resilience shaped his varied experiences from picking coffee beans to driving a cab into one of the most surprising careers in American politics. He campaigned for Chicago s first black mayor, Harold Washington. Someone threw a Molotov cocktail through the window of his house, and he only grew more committed to reform. Tested in the crucible of the notoriously tough Chicago city council, he earned the nickname "El Gallito": the little fighting rooster.
Gutierrez was one of the first Latino public figures to support gay rights; he led the fight to cut Congressional paychecks, hashed out legislation with both Ted Kennedy and John McCain, and fought with Newt Gingrich and George W. Bush. Despite his strong support for Barack Obama in two elections, he has twice been arrested while protesting for immigrants in front of the Obama White House. From recollections of his failures as a teenage activist to his crackling observations of the nautical decor in Kennedy s office and the white-gloved waiters of the Speaker s dining room, Gutierrez is as endearing to the reader as he is sometimes maddening to his colleagues, inspiring us all to stand up for our rights and for those of others.
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Synopsis
A candid, savvy, inspiring, and often hilarious memoir by one of America's most fearless political leaders.
About the Author
Luis Gutierrez, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1993, is frequently in the news as the national leader of the movement for immigrants' rights in America. He lives in Chicago, Illinois, with his wife Soraida.Doug Scofield managed Luis Gutierrez's first congressional campaign and served as his chief of staff for ten years. He runs a political consulting and public relations firm and remains active in the debate on comprehensive immigration reform. He lives in Oak Park, Illinois, with his wife and two sons.