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Twelve Unending Summers: Memoir of an Immigrant Child
Bahamian. Haitian. American. Where can I fully belong?
At age sixteen, Cholet Josué arrived on the shores of Miami in a wooden boat—and immediately put the past behind him. More than two decades later, the elusive question of identity pursues him, forcing him to confront a difficult truth: the cultures that formed him have each indelibly stamped his soul. Courageously, Cholet dismantles his own story to uncover a way to unashamedly, unabashedly fit in with three different worlds while belonging to none.
Honest and compelling, Twelve Unending Summers is a deeply personal journey that resonates with the universal human need to find a home and embrace the legacy of family heritage.
At age sixteen, Cholet Josué arrived on the shores of Miami in a wooden boat—and immediately put the past behind him. More than two decades later, the elusive question of identity pursues him, forcing him to confront a difficult truth: the cultures that formed him have each indelibly stamped his soul. Courageously, Cholet dismantles his own story to uncover a way to unashamedly, unabashedly fit in with three different worlds while belonging to none.
Honest and compelling, Twelve Unending Summers is a deeply personal journey that resonates with the universal human need to find a home and embrace the legacy of family heritage.
- GenresMemoirNonfiction
194 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2019
2941 people want to read
About the author
Cholet Kelly Josue
1 book58 followersCholet Kelly Josué is a Bahamian-born Haitian American author and physician seeking a home among the three cultures that have played a role in his life.
At age 16, he was sent across the Caribbean Sea in a wooden boat to join his mother in South Florida after the death of his father. While still an undocumented immigrant, he earned a bachelor of science degree, then represented himself in the trial of his life: the quest to become a legal resident.
Cholet received his medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. He currently practices medicine in Maryland with a functional and integrative approach, drawing on his interest in neuropsychiatry.
Follow Cholet online and join his tribe: https://drjosue.com/sign-up/
At age 16, he was sent across the Caribbean Sea in a wooden boat to join his mother in South Florida after the death of his father. While still an undocumented immigrant, he earned a bachelor of science degree, then represented himself in the trial of his life: the quest to become a legal resident.
Cholet received his medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. He currently practices medicine in Maryland with a functional and integrative approach, drawing on his interest in neuropsychiatry.
Follow Cholet online and join his tribe: https://drjosue.com/sign-up/
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 21, 2019
Let me say,
I was hooked on reading this book and could not put it down after the first few pages. The way Josué describes his emotions, anger, and feelings towards the white man and towards his own family really captivates his experience as a child of an immigrant. The dilemma of assimilation into the American white culture, and preserving his roots is one that many people can relate to. The encountering with the doctors who are insensitive and oblivious to their questions? Relatable, VALID. I personally enjoyed the way that Josué was able to captivate his conflict with his cultural identity, discrimination, and racism, as well as his descriptions of the Caribbean and Haiti. I think that this is a book anyone who is an immigrant, immigrant child, or even those who really to understand the immigrant experience should take a peek at the book.
I was hooked on reading this book and could not put it down after the first few pages. The way Josué describes his emotions, anger, and feelings towards the white man and towards his own family really captivates his experience as a child of an immigrant. The dilemma of assimilation into the American white culture, and preserving his roots is one that many people can relate to. The encountering with the doctors who are insensitive and oblivious to their questions? Relatable, VALID. I personally enjoyed the way that Josué was able to captivate his conflict with his cultural identity, discrimination, and racism, as well as his descriptions of the Caribbean and Haiti. I think that this is a book anyone who is an immigrant, immigrant child, or even those who really to understand the immigrant experience should take a peek at the book.
May 22, 2019
Bahamian, Haitian- American author Cholet Kelly Josue novel Twelve Unending Summers: Memoir of an Immigrant Child was a read that hit home for me. I am a child of Haitian immigrants and the risk they took to come to the United States for better opportunity and a second chance in life is truly something.
Josue tells us his story of his Haitian/Bahamian upbringing, the loose of his parents, his arrival to a new world at the age of sixteen and his prostitute to live that “American Dream”. Although I was born and raised in the US, 80% of what Josue experienced here I dealt with and so have so many others.
This moving story will have you bringing out the tissues and inform you the struggles of immigrants and their decedents. Thank you, Netgalley Authority Publishing, for this copy in exchange for an honest review 4 out of 5.
Josue tells us his story of his Haitian/Bahamian upbringing, the loose of his parents, his arrival to a new world at the age of sixteen and his prostitute to live that “American Dream”. Although I was born and raised in the US, 80% of what Josue experienced here I dealt with and so have so many others.
This moving story will have you bringing out the tissues and inform you the struggles of immigrants and their decedents. Thank you, Netgalley Authority Publishing, for this copy in exchange for an honest review 4 out of 5.
May 24, 2019
This book tells the story of the struggles and difficulties that an immigrant has to face. Even trying to get into your country in the first place and every step their after. It will open your eyes to their struggles and the incredible amount of strength that they have all for the purpose of creating a better life for them. Deeply moving an beautifully written. Make sure you have tissues at hand.
March 28, 2019
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
"Twelve Unending Summers" by Dr. Cholet Kelly Josué is quite a powerful memoir.
The premise of the story surrounds the life of a Bahamian-born, Haitian man who is trying to come to terms with his identity, as he has lived the U.S. and schooled in the U.S. for a great part of his life. Truly, the story is a story about trying to find one's own identity when that identity is stretched between three very different countries.
This book was very interesting and something that I was able to relate with personally. I was born in the United Kingdom to a Bahamian mother and Spanish father, and from the age of two years old I have lived in the U.S.. It wasn't until I was twenty-years old that I returned to England. I don't feel like I belong to any country though, no matter where I go my values don't fit neatly into the "norms" of the society. I talk different than everyone else, I hold a sort of racial ambiguity that no one quite knows how to place me.
From that perspective I could relate to what the author was saying about not having a "home" anywhere between these countries and instead needing to find home within oneself. Of course his narrative, also integrates racial views and racism between the countries he's lived and the countries that all are a part of him.
In terms of content, I did enjoy the story that the author has to tell us. I learned a great deal about Haitian culture, and more about the devastating natural disaster that hit them not all-too-long ago. I think that this story would perhaps make a good film, as I would love to see Haiti as the author had seen it as a boy.
However, I did find quite a great deal of the story very-repetitive and the writing was not as strong as I would have liked. There were times where I considered that perhaps the way the story was told, distracted from the execution of the "meaning" of the story. There were times as well where I did not agree with the message that the author was trying to convey. But that all comes from my experience. I do not share the exact same experience as with the author, so I can't really judge him on that front.
Overall, this was a pleasant reading experience and I would recommend it to people who are multi-national or people who are interested with identity specifically "cultural identity". I am certain that people from the Caribbean will find this to be nostalgic of growing up there.
"Twelve Unending Summers" by Dr. Cholet Kelly Josué is quite a powerful memoir.
The premise of the story surrounds the life of a Bahamian-born, Haitian man who is trying to come to terms with his identity, as he has lived the U.S. and schooled in the U.S. for a great part of his life. Truly, the story is a story about trying to find one's own identity when that identity is stretched between three very different countries.
This book was very interesting and something that I was able to relate with personally. I was born in the United Kingdom to a Bahamian mother and Spanish father, and from the age of two years old I have lived in the U.S.. It wasn't until I was twenty-years old that I returned to England. I don't feel like I belong to any country though, no matter where I go my values don't fit neatly into the "norms" of the society. I talk different than everyone else, I hold a sort of racial ambiguity that no one quite knows how to place me.
From that perspective I could relate to what the author was saying about not having a "home" anywhere between these countries and instead needing to find home within oneself. Of course his narrative, also integrates racial views and racism between the countries he's lived and the countries that all are a part of him.
In terms of content, I did enjoy the story that the author has to tell us. I learned a great deal about Haitian culture, and more about the devastating natural disaster that hit them not all-too-long ago. I think that this story would perhaps make a good film, as I would love to see Haiti as the author had seen it as a boy.
However, I did find quite a great deal of the story very-repetitive and the writing was not as strong as I would have liked. There were times where I considered that perhaps the way the story was told, distracted from the execution of the "meaning" of the story. There were times as well where I did not agree with the message that the author was trying to convey. But that all comes from my experience. I do not share the exact same experience as with the author, so I can't really judge him on that front.
Overall, this was a pleasant reading experience and I would recommend it to people who are multi-national or people who are interested with identity specifically "cultural identity". I am certain that people from the Caribbean will find this to be nostalgic of growing up there.
April 11, 2019
Does the country we grow up in define our identity? How much does our heritage shape us and what's the influence of the country we now live in? Will immigrants always be "the other" or is it ever possible to fit in? And at the some time maintain ones own cultural identity? These are questions all immigrants can relate to.
Besides his individual story the author tells us about Haiti, the difficult immigration process and racism in the USA, even blacks against blacks, being poor and the value of education.
Besides his individual story the author tells us about Haiti, the difficult immigration process and racism in the USA, even blacks against blacks, being poor and the value of education.
May 29, 2019
Twelve Unending Summers: Memoir of an Immigrant Child by Cholet Kelly Josue is a book that hit just the right spots for me. In the prologue, he posed the questions “Where did I fully belong? Where could I call home?” As a fellow immigrant that also came to the US as a teenager, his story really resonated with me. While I do not come from a country as poverty stricken and in shambles as he speaks about Haiti being, I understand some of the confusion he felt of being torn between different cultures.
“Out of that catastrophe emerged a question of identity that had been simmering inside me for decades, after having spent all my adult life thinking like an American, after having been assimilated into the American melting pot. Or maybe not so assimilated after all.” No matter what country you are from, I hazard a guess that the majority of immigrants in the US has felt this way at some point. If you are looking for a read that will bring back those memories or want to learn about the struggles that immigrants face in the US, this is the right book for you.
I really enjoyed how he spoke about the importance of education, culture, and finding your place in the world. This is the first book I have read since setting my goal of intentionally seeking out authors from different cultures and I am looking forward to reading more from him on his blog Brain Science.
“Out of that catastrophe emerged a question of identity that had been simmering inside me for decades, after having spent all my adult life thinking like an American, after having been assimilated into the American melting pot. Or maybe not so assimilated after all.” No matter what country you are from, I hazard a guess that the majority of immigrants in the US has felt this way at some point. If you are looking for a read that will bring back those memories or want to learn about the struggles that immigrants face in the US, this is the right book for you.
I really enjoyed how he spoke about the importance of education, culture, and finding your place in the world. This is the first book I have read since setting my goal of intentionally seeking out authors from different cultures and I am looking forward to reading more from him on his blog Brain Science.
April 21, 2019
Dr. Josue is an especially earnest autobiographer, I really felt for him through all his travails and at this time in history it is so important that we listen to and learn about the experiences of undocumented illegals. As a bi-racial American born abroad, I can relate to Cholet's pleaful bid to find his true self. I am heartened by the fact that he has family with him in America, I hope they have all managed to get legalized somehow as well.
I do think this book would have been easier to read had some of the repetition been edited out. The timeline of Josue's having been born in the Bahamas, grown up in Haiti, and then become an adult in the US was made quite clear in the Prologue but was reiterated several times throughout, often as if it were new knowledge. I'm intrigued by his honesty and willingness to share details of his legal history, and will read more of his literary explorations into the lands of his life that he's written about so lovingly in Twelve Unending Summers and promises more of in future, but I hope he'll opt to share more detail about his work in neuropsychiatry, his philanthropy, friends and family and maybe get out of his head a little bit next time. I think that would make him an even better story teller.
I do think this book would have been easier to read had some of the repetition been edited out. The timeline of Josue's having been born in the Bahamas, grown up in Haiti, and then become an adult in the US was made quite clear in the Prologue but was reiterated several times throughout, often as if it were new knowledge. I'm intrigued by his honesty and willingness to share details of his legal history, and will read more of his literary explorations into the lands of his life that he's written about so lovingly in Twelve Unending Summers and promises more of in future, but I hope he'll opt to share more detail about his work in neuropsychiatry, his philanthropy, friends and family and maybe get out of his head a little bit next time. I think that would make him an even better story teller.
May 30, 2019
I received this review copy by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley.
“Those who have been given great gifts, also carry heavy burdens.”
Twelve unending summer : Memoir of an immigrant child by Dr. Cholet Kelly Josue, MD is a soul-stirring memoir of the author which will make the readers feel all the emotions he underwent, as it was. The cultural and emotional instability a child undergoes when exposed different lifestyles and geographic regions has been written down straightly from his heart. In the prologue the author poses a question “where do I belong?” Born in Bahamas to a Haiti parents and lived a life as an American, this question haunts the author throughout his course of life. This is a no simple question, we all need a ground to be anchored to and a place to be called ours. Without knowing one’s identity, history and background living a life is impossible, this what the author has tried to divulge in this book and has also succeeded extraordinarily. It’s not a book only immigrants could relate to, it's not a book only Haitians could relate to. Once the reader reads the first page of the book he/she will immediately get transformed to the world of Cholet. Every unique cultural traditions and superstitions followed by the Haitians and local anecdotes was so enticing and I personally I loved those parts very much. The community in which Cholet grew up in Haiti was so wonderful. In today’s every one of us are driven by ambition and self-centredness but in Haitian community everyone lived harmoniously together supporting each other shoulder to shoulder. Certain sequences such leaving behind his childhood friends in Haiti, passing away of his parents were extremely heart-wrenching and moving. And the childish essence that the book has to offer has been captured and penned beautifully. Throughout the book he has insisted about the importance education in one’s life, how it has the power to transform a person from a zero to an achiever. His hunger for knowledge and soccer was inspiring and strikingly appreciable. Even though the life at America had to offer more downs than ups, Cholet had faced them bravely with hope spread all across his soul. The optimistic character of the author has what made him endure the unendurable. The last two chapters were fast moving and electrifying nonetheless.
The epilogue was my personal favourite, it had so much to offer. On the whole it was a easy read, the language was simple and engaging. I finished it in one sitting. It’s one of the deep and moving memoirs you ever come across.
PS : I don’t read many biographies or memoirs but I seriously loved it.
I seriously recommend this book to everyone because I learned lot via this and it inspired me to look deep into my roots too.
“Those who have been given great gifts, also carry heavy burdens.”
Twelve unending summer : Memoir of an immigrant child by Dr. Cholet Kelly Josue, MD is a soul-stirring memoir of the author which will make the readers feel all the emotions he underwent, as it was. The cultural and emotional instability a child undergoes when exposed different lifestyles and geographic regions has been written down straightly from his heart. In the prologue the author poses a question “where do I belong?” Born in Bahamas to a Haiti parents and lived a life as an American, this question haunts the author throughout his course of life. This is a no simple question, we all need a ground to be anchored to and a place to be called ours. Without knowing one’s identity, history and background living a life is impossible, this what the author has tried to divulge in this book and has also succeeded extraordinarily. It’s not a book only immigrants could relate to, it's not a book only Haitians could relate to. Once the reader reads the first page of the book he/she will immediately get transformed to the world of Cholet. Every unique cultural traditions and superstitions followed by the Haitians and local anecdotes was so enticing and I personally I loved those parts very much. The community in which Cholet grew up in Haiti was so wonderful. In today’s every one of us are driven by ambition and self-centredness but in Haitian community everyone lived harmoniously together supporting each other shoulder to shoulder. Certain sequences such leaving behind his childhood friends in Haiti, passing away of his parents were extremely heart-wrenching and moving. And the childish essence that the book has to offer has been captured and penned beautifully. Throughout the book he has insisted about the importance education in one’s life, how it has the power to transform a person from a zero to an achiever. His hunger for knowledge and soccer was inspiring and strikingly appreciable. Even though the life at America had to offer more downs than ups, Cholet had faced them bravely with hope spread all across his soul. The optimistic character of the author has what made him endure the unendurable. The last two chapters were fast moving and electrifying nonetheless.
The epilogue was my personal favourite, it had so much to offer. On the whole it was a easy read, the language was simple and engaging. I finished it in one sitting. It’s one of the deep and moving memoirs you ever come across.
PS : I don’t read many biographies or memoirs but I seriously loved it.
I seriously recommend this book to everyone because I learned lot via this and it inspired me to look deep into my roots too.
May 4, 2019
I received an arc of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.
It was interesting to read about the life of the author but throughout the whole book I could just feel something was missing.
I wasn't fully emersed in the story and found myself browsing past a few parts and I think it was due to how the story was structured and layered out to read.
It was different and eye opening, reading about Haitian life and traditions and what some have to face when it comes to trying to travel abroad. Also how Chloet was trying to discover himself, trying to find an insight into who he is through living in America with his Haitian descent and birth, but also his life, from first going to America and his movement towards college.
I went into the book thinking it would be directly on finding out who he is but by the end I felt it didn't answer the question.
It left me wondering and slightly disappointed but it could have just been me and how I interpreted it compared to what he was actually trying to say.
It was interesting to read about the life of the author but throughout the whole book I could just feel something was missing.
I wasn't fully emersed in the story and found myself browsing past a few parts and I think it was due to how the story was structured and layered out to read.
It was different and eye opening, reading about Haitian life and traditions and what some have to face when it comes to trying to travel abroad. Also how Chloet was trying to discover himself, trying to find an insight into who he is through living in America with his Haitian descent and birth, but also his life, from first going to America and his movement towards college.
I went into the book thinking it would be directly on finding out who he is but by the end I felt it didn't answer the question.
It left me wondering and slightly disappointed but it could have just been me and how I interpreted it compared to what he was actually trying to say.
July 14, 2019
Twelve Unending Summers is a memoir by a Haitian-Bahamian-American man as he explores his tangled sense of identity and self. He discusses illegal immigration and being sent away from home and losing the most important people to you.
It's a very interesting read and it's actually quite short. There are a couple chapters near the beginning that drag a little but overall it's a moving memoir that's full to the brim of life.
(Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an advanced readers copy in return for an honest review.)
It's a very interesting read and it's actually quite short. There are a couple chapters near the beginning that drag a little but overall it's a moving memoir that's full to the brim of life.
(Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an advanced readers copy in return for an honest review.)
April 21, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley for this opportunity.
Dr. Cholet Kelly Josué, a Bahamian man of Haitian descent, pens this very personal memoir of his struggles to find his identity between his three "homes": Haiti, Bahamas, and the US. He has spent a greater part of his life in the US where he completed his studies and continues to work full-time.
Josué carefully describes the racial tension that exists in the places he grew up. Those in Haiti don't see him as a local native, and he feels like an outsider at times. The same goes for him in the Bahamas and America. The fundamental questions he asks himself is, "Where did I fully belong? Where could I call home?"
Although I couldn't fully relate to his story and wanted to learn more about these countries I wasn't intimately familiar with, I found that at times he went into too much detail, and his message became lost. I found myself wanting to skim through sections of it when this occurred.
Overall, I appreciated learning about Haitian culture, particularly the bit about planting the umbilical cord under the tree. I would recommend this story to someone who can better relate to his struggles and journey to America.
Dr. Cholet Kelly Josué, a Bahamian man of Haitian descent, pens this very personal memoir of his struggles to find his identity between his three "homes": Haiti, Bahamas, and the US. He has spent a greater part of his life in the US where he completed his studies and continues to work full-time.
Josué carefully describes the racial tension that exists in the places he grew up. Those in Haiti don't see him as a local native, and he feels like an outsider at times. The same goes for him in the Bahamas and America. The fundamental questions he asks himself is, "Where did I fully belong? Where could I call home?"
Although I couldn't fully relate to his story and wanted to learn more about these countries I wasn't intimately familiar with, I found that at times he went into too much detail, and his message became lost. I found myself wanting to skim through sections of it when this occurred.
Overall, I appreciated learning about Haitian culture, particularly the bit about planting the umbilical cord under the tree. I would recommend this story to someone who can better relate to his struggles and journey to America.
June 15, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy of this book.
“I had begun to entertain in my mind’s eye the notion that maybe, just maybe, amid America and the Bahamas and Haiti, I might create a home where I could totally, truly belong.”
Josue was born in the Bahamas, raised in Haiti, and sent to join his mother in the United States as a teenager. His memoir explores his search for identity and belonging, while navigating the complex education and immigration systems in the United States.
It is an inspiring story of human spirit and the importance of education. I liked learning more about Haitian culture, and I think the scenes of his childhood in Haiti were my favorite to read about. But they were also tinged with the sadness of being send away and later realizing the depth of the problems facing the country he loved. I thought it was interesting that Josue described writing this book as the start of journey to delve deeper into his past and his origins, having not been back to the Bahamas or his father’s ancestral lands in Haiti since childhood. Stories like Josue’s about the immigrant experience provide a valuable lens for social issues, and a reminder that human compassion can go long way.
“I had begun to entertain in my mind’s eye the notion that maybe, just maybe, amid America and the Bahamas and Haiti, I might create a home where I could totally, truly belong.”
Josue was born in the Bahamas, raised in Haiti, and sent to join his mother in the United States as a teenager. His memoir explores his search for identity and belonging, while navigating the complex education and immigration systems in the United States.
It is an inspiring story of human spirit and the importance of education. I liked learning more about Haitian culture, and I think the scenes of his childhood in Haiti were my favorite to read about. But they were also tinged with the sadness of being send away and later realizing the depth of the problems facing the country he loved. I thought it was interesting that Josue described writing this book as the start of journey to delve deeper into his past and his origins, having not been back to the Bahamas or his father’s ancestral lands in Haiti since childhood. Stories like Josue’s about the immigrant experience provide a valuable lens for social issues, and a reminder that human compassion can go long way.
April 18, 2019
This was a very emotional and important read espcally in todays society. I felt the pain and the emotions that this meomir had in it. I felt the struggle of not belonging and finding your own identy in this world when you have moved around a lot. I think that everyone should read this and a a society we should treat our Immigrants with Respect and understanding. some of them do work hard but also struggle to call somwere home this is what this book conveys. 4 out of 5 stars from me. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher and Author for sending me the ebook for a honest reveiw.
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February 5, 2023This is a brilliant book, a memoir from a Haitian immigrant. Cholet Kelly Josue writes with passion and Twelve Unending Summers is relatable for any 1st or 2nd generation immigrant struggling with finding themselves. A recommended read for lovers of Malala Yousafzai's book(s) and memoirs in general.
February 5, 2020
https://bound2books.co/2020/02/05/twe...
When I first got this book, the controversy that surrounds the novel American Dirt and immigrant stories had not yet come to the surface. Yet, the conflict surrounding Jeanine Cummins’ novel is not really anything new. Since before post-colonialist studies became stronger in academia, and since immigrant and marginalised voices started talking about their experiences there has always been a question of who is allowed to speak, and more specifically, what are they allowed to speak about?
I do not want to centre novels like American Dirt in discussions on immigration, however, they are part of a bigger picture, and a bigger problem. Until publishing companies are willing to give marginalised voices the platforms they deserve, then there really is no equality. The question of who is allowed to speak is also wrapped up in the question of whose voices get the most praise? Or who are the voices that are the most uplifted in media and publishing? I am a small blog in the grand scheme of things, but I will use this tiny platform to try to do just that, praise and raise awareness of marginalised stories.
With that all said, let’s dive deeper into Twelve Unending Summers. The memoir explores the multifaceted identity of Bahamian-born Haitian Cholet Kelly Josué who immigrated to the U.S. when he was a teenager. His immigration story is complex as he came to Florida with the help of human trafficking boats from Haiti. His mother went first and then later brought him to the U.S. His immigration story is also a story of community and resilience. It is also coupled with grief and anger at the system that made him illegal in the first place. There is love for Haiti and his childhood, and there is also real pain at seeing the poverty and corruption in the country of his childhood.
“I was both sad and relieved to leave Haiti and return to my comfortable life, the guilt almost suffocating as I stood in the long line of passengers waiting to board the American Airlines flight back to Miami.”
Throughout the memoir Josué seems to grapple with the push and pull of Haitian culture and his subsequent americanisation after he arrived in Florida. The extreme’s of this coming out in the Haitian practices and superstitions surrounding voodoo, and learning how to do things, the American way.
“One of the main reasons some people feel they have no other options than to take the illegal route is that they realize that the immigration system has been corrupted across multiple borders, rendering it a transnational form of corruption.”
Having been an immigrant myself, and being married to an immigrant has given me, for better or for worse, a deep understanding of the fears and hopes that immigration stories share. People in government offices hold your life in their hands and you are forced to give over your agency to someone else. That person will ultimately judge you worthy, a ‘good’ immigrant, or not. Immigration laws tear families apart and the real anxiety and worry about keeping families together can feel overwhelming sometimes. On top of that, immigration laws can change whenever governments feel like it, so the rules that got you into a country might not be the same when you ask to stay longer.
Josué’s memoir offers another voice to the immigrant experience, one that is extremely important for people to read in today’s current political climate. I urge people to listen to immigrant voices and their individuality. Look beyond lumping everyone in the same tarnished group and look for compassion and understanding. Josué’s life is extremely lucky. He was one of the immigrants that was able to become legal in America. To obtain degrees and become a fully functioning member of society as a doctor, yet his story is not the same for everyone.
What memoirs are you reading at the moment? As always, share the reading love.
Note: this novel was accessed through Netgalley for review purposes.
When I first got this book, the controversy that surrounds the novel American Dirt and immigrant stories had not yet come to the surface. Yet, the conflict surrounding Jeanine Cummins’ novel is not really anything new. Since before post-colonialist studies became stronger in academia, and since immigrant and marginalised voices started talking about their experiences there has always been a question of who is allowed to speak, and more specifically, what are they allowed to speak about?
I do not want to centre novels like American Dirt in discussions on immigration, however, they are part of a bigger picture, and a bigger problem. Until publishing companies are willing to give marginalised voices the platforms they deserve, then there really is no equality. The question of who is allowed to speak is also wrapped up in the question of whose voices get the most praise? Or who are the voices that are the most uplifted in media and publishing? I am a small blog in the grand scheme of things, but I will use this tiny platform to try to do just that, praise and raise awareness of marginalised stories.
With that all said, let’s dive deeper into Twelve Unending Summers. The memoir explores the multifaceted identity of Bahamian-born Haitian Cholet Kelly Josué who immigrated to the U.S. when he was a teenager. His immigration story is complex as he came to Florida with the help of human trafficking boats from Haiti. His mother went first and then later brought him to the U.S. His immigration story is also a story of community and resilience. It is also coupled with grief and anger at the system that made him illegal in the first place. There is love for Haiti and his childhood, and there is also real pain at seeing the poverty and corruption in the country of his childhood.
“I was both sad and relieved to leave Haiti and return to my comfortable life, the guilt almost suffocating as I stood in the long line of passengers waiting to board the American Airlines flight back to Miami.”
Throughout the memoir Josué seems to grapple with the push and pull of Haitian culture and his subsequent americanisation after he arrived in Florida. The extreme’s of this coming out in the Haitian practices and superstitions surrounding voodoo, and learning how to do things, the American way.
“One of the main reasons some people feel they have no other options than to take the illegal route is that they realize that the immigration system has been corrupted across multiple borders, rendering it a transnational form of corruption.”
Having been an immigrant myself, and being married to an immigrant has given me, for better or for worse, a deep understanding of the fears and hopes that immigration stories share. People in government offices hold your life in their hands and you are forced to give over your agency to someone else. That person will ultimately judge you worthy, a ‘good’ immigrant, or not. Immigration laws tear families apart and the real anxiety and worry about keeping families together can feel overwhelming sometimes. On top of that, immigration laws can change whenever governments feel like it, so the rules that got you into a country might not be the same when you ask to stay longer.
Josué’s memoir offers another voice to the immigrant experience, one that is extremely important for people to read in today’s current political climate. I urge people to listen to immigrant voices and their individuality. Look beyond lumping everyone in the same tarnished group and look for compassion and understanding. Josué’s life is extremely lucky. He was one of the immigrants that was able to become legal in America. To obtain degrees and become a fully functioning member of society as a doctor, yet his story is not the same for everyone.
What memoirs are you reading at the moment? As always, share the reading love.
Note: this novel was accessed through Netgalley for review purposes.
December 31, 2019
As a white woman from NYC, I don't have much in common with Dr. Josue except for one major similarity: not being from just one place and trying to identify oneself according to where one is from. I've bounced around Queens and Brooklyn all my life and now am a Californian transplant. Dr. Josue's book has made me reflect on my own upbringing and background, and has invited me to consider what parts of me are from where. I enjoyed this book so much. It was a lovely read and I found such delight in the imagery used to paint the picture of those hot Caribbean summers. Looking forward to following him on his journey.
August 8, 2020
Twelve Unending Summers is an open and honest memoir about the author's childhood as he moves from the Bahamas, to Haiti and takes a boat across the sea to America. He tells of his struggles and the challenges he faced throughout the years as he learned about life in America and what his place was.
There is clearly so much more to tell and I'd love to hear more of his tale.
I feel we hear the stories of immigrants all too often on the news, but never really hear their personal story. It's important that we know the background to these tales so that we can empathise and understand.
I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There is clearly so much more to tell and I'd love to hear more of his tale.
I feel we hear the stories of immigrants all too often on the news, but never really hear their personal story. It's important that we know the background to these tales so that we can empathise and understand.
I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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June 28, 2025I try to avoid giving ratings for memoirs if possible. I appreciate Josue sharing his story of a childhood in Haiti and the difficulties that led him to entering the US illegally as a teen, not really understanding what that meant, and his work to strive for an education to give back and give his all to the arduous process of becoming a legal citizen.
July 5, 2019
I was so excited about this book. Josue's story is important. But the writing was elementary and confusing. All I could think while reading it was how disappointed I was by the writing and how disappointed I was that so much meaning got lost in the jumbled stream of consciousness writing. Sigh.
August 3, 2019
Twelve Undending Summers is a raw and honest memoir about being an immigrant, ending up having several identities and not quite fit into any of them. It's also a book about hope, courage and doing what you got to do in order to survive.
March 23, 2023
This book was a great story of taking risks and fighting to realize the American dream. The main character had a lot of adversity to get to where he was but he was able to work around it and fight to become a doctor and make a good life for himself and make his mother proud.
April 1, 2025
I am impressed with Cholet's determination and drive. There were so many ups and down in this short book I was getting as seasick as Cholet on his boat ride to Florida!
June 13, 2019
I enjoyed Kelly Josue’s memoir because I learned about Haitian culture and pieces of the country’s history. I also learned about the Bahamas from the short time Josue was living there. I think it’s an important book for everyone to read and learn about what immigrants go through in the U.S. You can also read it to learn about how the U.S. affected Haiti’s history as well as how strong the Haitian people are after being put through so many changes throughout their history.
October 5, 2020
I have heard stories of people arriving on the shores of the US via boat & treacherous waters but this first hand account really got to me. The risks taken (and life left behind) to come to the United States for a better life and then no guarantee you can stay, regardless of your character or how hard you work. I am so fortunate to not have to know what that decision making is like and I also appreciate that Mr Josue decided to share his story because I have a better understanding of at least his experience from childhood through the immigration process.
Plan to use for the 2020 BYL Reading Challenge prompt: Read a book about the immigrant experience
Plan to use for the 2020 BYL Reading Challenge prompt: Read a book about the immigrant experience
August 16, 2019
This was a very interesting and heartfelt account of the authors journey from the Bahamas to his ancestral home of Haiti and then to America as an illegal immigrant. Not at all surprised that surviving a tropical storm in the Caribbean Sea en route to Miami in a wooden boat was FAR less horrifying than his trials once he arrived in the States.
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