Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

This book is not what I expected, and while I'm still glad I read it, I wouldn't recommend it to most people. First, this is not a self-help book nor a broad exploration of finding one's identity. Instead, it addresses what we can learn from immigrants and is a glance into Irina Nevzlin's personal journey into finding her identity as a Soviet-born Jewish woman.

The Impact of Identity boils down to several key points:

- Your cultural/ethnic background is most important. Here you will find "your people." Other categories that often play a role in a person's identity like religion, hobbies, gender, political affiliation, and sexual orientation are simply "labels" that cause confusion.
- Don't blame others / Accept responsibility for your circumstances. Although you may not be the cause of your circumstances, by taking responsibility you can work on fixing your issues. Placing blame on others not only puts you in a victim mindset; it is also simply a waste of time.
- Learn a new language. In the process, you'll not only learn a new language, but a culture.

While Nevzlin brings up a number of interesting points, I found myself disagreeing with her on many things throughout the book, often for political reasons. I won't argue that this book is bad simply because I disagree with the author's politics; I often enjoy reading books from authors with diverse backgrounds/beliefs. I will argue, however, that a book marketed as trying to help people establish "a clear-cut, resilient identity to enjoy a more fulfilled, meaningful life", should bring more to the table than personal stories, tips that mainly apply to only a portion of the population, and encouragement to stick to "your people."

Ultimately, Nevzlin fails to present much more than personal stories, encouragement to stick to "your people", and an endorsement of nationalism, while minimizing or ignoring the fundamental reasons that cause people to struggle to find their identity while dealing with economic and/or social hardship. If you'd like to learn more about what immigrants face as they integrate themselves into their new country, you very well may find plenty of interesting information. But I cannot recommend this to anyone looking for help on establishing and accepting their identity.