What is most impressive about A Hope in the Unseen is Suskind's ability to turn hard journalism into a compelling narrative that reads like fiction but is faithful to the truths of his subjects' lives. I am a high school teacher who sees students who struggle with the same issues of race and class and what it means to try to break out of the rigid and defeating expectations set by the community and society. It is Cedric's strength of character and refusal to cede his morals to those around him which makes him a role model for our age. ( )

I read this long ago, which is why I'm not giving it a star rating. I do remember thinking it was a great book.

A tale of an inner city young man as he travels from his bottom of the barrel DC high school to Brown. The book is known as one that challenges the reader on the issue of affirmative action. It does. More specifically it challenges the idea of "letting in lesser students" into an environment like Brown. But there is also a sub-theme about how girls are doing better than boys. Oh, yes, the so-called boys crisis is in here too. But it's framed in a much better way that I've seen before because it really deals with violence in our inner cities.

I read this book for a seminar class I'm co-teaching this fall. Can't wait to hear what the students think.

5570. A Hope in the Unseen An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League, by Ron Suskind (read 21 Jul 2018)The author came to know Cedric Jennings as a student at a D.C. high school which is a high school of many failing kids. Cedric, due to a strong mother (now, though she has never married and has three kids by three different men) and a vigorous church life is determined to succeed and avoids the stupid things so many of his classmates succumb to. The book tells how he succeeded being accepted at Brown in Providence, RI, and his first year at Brown is related (in the present tense!) in much detail. I admit all the mental turmoil which Cedric goes through I found not enjoyable reading and one does not know how he will do but assumes he will do all right else there would not be this book. But there is a lot of angst and one almost despairs over poor choices Cedric's mother makes in regard to her finances. And Cedric does not do a whole lot better sometimes. But it works out and the book while depicting a lot to fret about does end on an upbeat note. ( )

A Hope in the Unseen is a true story of a boy named Cedric and his experience moving from high school to college. The central message is that even though one can have low expectations they can rise above with hard work and dedication. With Cedric's extra efforts he was accepted in a top-flight college even though his inner city high school had poor resources. ( )