Book Review — I’M NOT BROKEN: A Memoir by Jesse Leon
Born to indigenous working-class Mexican immigrants in San Diego in the 1970s, Jesse Leon’s childhood was violently ruptured. A dangerous and harrowing encounter at a local gift shop when he was eleven years old left Jesse with a deadly secret. Hurt, alone, and scared for his life, Jesse numbed his pain by losing himself in the hyper-masculine culture of the streets and wherever else he could find it—in alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. Overlooked by state-sanctioned institutions and systems intended to help victims of abuse, neglected like many other low-income Latinos, Jesse spiraled into cycles of suicide and substance abuse.
I’m Not Broken is the heartbreaking and remarkable story of the journey Jesse takes to win back his life, leading him to the steps of Harvard University. From being the lone young person of color in Narcotics Anonymous meetings to coming to terms with his own sexual identity, to becoming an engaged mentor for incarcerated youth, Jesse finds the will to live with the love and support of his family, friends, and mentors. Recounting the extraordinary circumstances of his life, Jesse offers a powerful, raw testament to the possibilities of self-transformation and self-acceptance. Unforgettable, I’m Not Broken is an inspirational portrait of one young man’s indomitable strength and spirit to survive—against all possible odds.
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My ThoughtsSo, wow. This was hard to read. I can’t imagine having lived it.
I’m Not Broken is Jesse Leon’s memoir. It’s dark, raw, unapologetically honest, sad, depressing, hopeful, and ultimately, a powerful proclamation of resilience and success despite the odds.
Jesse was a young adolescent, just beginning to question his sexual identity, when a chance encounter led to years of sexual abuse. This spiraled into drug abuse, prostitution, and the kind of on-the-edge lifestyle from which too many people never recover.
This took me a while to read because I had to keep putting it down. Jesse doesn’t shy away from details, and I felt it all.
Fortunately, we have a happy ending. Jesse Leon is a rare success story, and by sharing it he provides insight into a broken system, and hope for those caught within it.
*Thanks to Vintage Anchor Books for the free copy!*
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