Reviews of Just Like Us

“Thorpe, an accomplished journalist, vividly chronicles the coming-of-age of four Mexican-American teenagers in Colorado. The young women struggle to reconcile an elusive American dream with the irony of their situations—only two of them have immigration papers, an invisible distinction that sets them at odds with one another and with the nation they consider home…. By casting the girls’ experiences, and her own, against the larger policy debate, Thorpe personalizes an often generalized problem, and delves into questions of opportunity and identity to examine the ‘intersection between the terrible mystery of our being’ and the ;inevitably flawed fashion’ in which we govern ourselves.” (The Atlantic Monthly)

“Thorpe is meticulously observant, always attuned to the poignant ironies of her topic….” (The New Yorker)

“Thorpe, a veteran reporter, brings a journalist’s eye to her story. Her narrative is quick-paced and full of incident and clamor. Like her predecessors, she goes across the border to bang around in trucks and cough in the dust clouds. Yet her attention to ambience and detail lends a vibe that is enriched by her empathy. ‘We . . . lurched back onto the smooth blacktop that led to Durango,’ she writes. ‘Despair lurked back at the dusty crossroads . . . but why should we linger there, when the sun flared in the endless sky and crops flourished all around?’… Rather than finding this whole scene enervating, Thorpe finds it exhilarating…. These are the stories of the new America. I say, Sí.'“ (The Washington Post)

“When she embarked on her galvanizing book, Helen Thorpe had a policy wonk’s interest in immigration, leavened with her own ‘odd sense of dual identity’ as someone who herself arrived in the United States as a child. As her eyes are slowly opened to the catch-22 aspects of American immigration law, ours are, too, and we become conscious of how achingly complex the whole question of who we punish for entering the country illegally really is…. Thorpe intelligently drills away at the harsh reality of such facts—what should we do, deport half a family? Through the girls’ heart-tugging struggles, Thorpe puts a human face on a frequently obtuse conversation, and in so doing takes us far beyond the political rhetoric.” (O Magazine)

“Through the lives of four fascinating young women, Thorpe creates not only a moving examination of a complicated American issue, but a well-told, inspirational story as well.” (Kirkus)

“[Thorpe} personalizes the ongoing debate over immigration and frames it so compassionately and sensibly that even the staunchest opponents of immigration liberalization might find themselves rethinking their positions.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Verdict: Thorpe’s work raises hundreds of questions and will be a good choice for book clubs and readers interested in narrative nonfiction. An excellent, in-depth study of immigration policies gone amok.” (Library Journal)

Reviews of Soldier Girls

“Parenthood and roadside bombs, young love and PTSD—finally, a nuanced look at the lives of female soldiers that is as intimate as it is groundbreaking.” (O Magazine)

“A breakthrough work… What Thorpe accomplishes is something far greater than describing the experience of women in the military. The book is a solid chunk of American history — detailing the culture’s failing, resilience and progress… Thorpe triumphs.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“‘Soldier Girls’ is utterly absorbing, gorgeously written, and unforgettable.” (The Boston Globe)

“A vivid and intensely personal account of the lives of three women whose only common denominator had been that they joined the Indiana National Guard never imagining they might end up in a war zone… Thorpe’s matter-of-fact tone and clear and concise prose make the book all the more riveting… a captivating read, an important book and a stunning accomplishment.” (Military History magazine)

“A raw, intimate look at the impact of combat and the healing power of friendship.” (People magazine)

“Moving… This visceral narrative illuminates the role of women in the military, the burdens placed on the National Guard, and the disproportionate burden of these wars borne by the poor.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Reviews of The Newcomers

“A delicate and heartbreaking mystery story.” (The New York Times)

“With politicians today battling over the issue of immigration and many calling for reduced quotas, “The Newcomers” puts a human face on the refugee question. The book is a journalistic triumph. Thorpe, the acclaimed author of “Soldier Girls” and “Just Like Us,” pens a masterful book that lets readers see the humanity instead of the facts and figures and politics of the immigration debate.” (The Denver Post)