The world we live in today is more divided than it has ever been before. In his new collection of poems and stories, entitled “Mixed Feelings,” Avan Jogia wants readers to get a “societal overhead feeling,” as he calls it of the earth. Like if you zoomed out as far as the moon and looked at space. To see the earth from there and to realize how connected we all really are from the “space” point of view.

As astronauts from the Apollo missions all have recounted many times, when they looked out of the command capsule at the earth almost 240,000 miles away, they could see how fragile the earth, how from up here, we are all humans and we are very much alike. That perspective is what Mr. Jogia is trying to present in her latest collection of poetry and stories, as he tries to explore the mixed up topics of race, gender, sexuality, religion and politics. It is a noble task he takes on in his book.

The book is a collection of personal stories of his family and those around him dealing with the struggles of finding their place in society that can be so hateful and so different and so afraid. He also takes stories from others who don’t “fit” the stereotype and writes poetry to speak about “humanness” in a way that makes you stop and think and examine your own misconceptions and prejudices. This was a very thought-provoking book that caused me to see the world through new eyes. It helps me “see” that I need to withhold all judgments before I really get to know a person. It causes me to be much more lavish with empathy than to jump to conclusions about someone based on stereotypes or what the label the “culture” would stamp on a person.

We need to learn to replace hate with love and judgment with acceptance. We need to learn to see people as people, not as some label. We all breathe air. We all bleed red. We all want to be loved. We are all human.

I received this eBook free of charge from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I did not receive any fiscal compensation from either company for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.