An American Son

Starred review from August 1, 2012
A family oriented memoir from a rising superstar of the Republican party. Rubio comes across as humble, principled and all too conscious of the sacrifices inherent in political life. Readers looking for a Tea Party jeremiad will be largely disappointed; though Rubio is forthright about his political and religious beliefs and gives a detailed account of his unlikely run for U.S. Senate, he writes with more specificity about his lifelong love for the Miami Dolphins than he does about any of his present legislative priorities. Instead, the apparent purpose of this memoir is to place Rubio's political convictions in the context of his family history. The driving thesis of the book is that his success is an affirmation of the sacrifices members of his parents' generation made so that their children could have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. His personal political ambitions are especially meaningful because they represent the fulfillment of the hopes of not only his parents, but those of other Cuban refugees as well. He addresses the controversy of the timing of his parents' arrival in America in a straightforward manner, and the prose is direct if not scintillating. He shows insight into his flaws, analyzes professional and personal mistakes, and extols the virtues of bipartisan cooperation. Rubio's stories about his family are inarguably compelling and may help persuade a broader and more moderate electorate should he ever consider a national (vice-presidential?) run. A generally apolitical memoir that is politically shrewd because of, not despite, its focus on the author's personal and family history.

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