American Dirt
Jeanine Cummins's American Dirt, the #1 New York Times bestseller and Oprah Book Club pick that has sold over three million copies, is finally available in paperback.
Lydia lives in Acapulco. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while cracks are beginning to show in Acapulco because of the cartels, Lydia’s life is, by and large, fairly comfortable. But after her husband’s tell-all profile of the newest drug lord is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.
Forced to flee, Lydia and Luca find themselves joining the countless people trying to reach the United States. Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?
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American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings
378 pages
What’s it about?
Lydia lives in present day Acapulco. She is married to a journalist and has an 8-year-old son named Luca. Lydia owns a bookstore and is not unaware of the drug cartels infiltrating the city. She is able to largely ignore the problem until the cartel strikes her family and she is forced to flee Mexico to save Luca.
What did it make me think about?
It seems to me that this book was written with two goals in mind. To be a page-turner and to make us feel something about the immigrants that arrive from the South. It certainly achieves both goals.
Should I read it?
This book will appeal to a mass audience. It is a quick read with lots of action and a quick plot. It was predictable! Everything you could think of that stereotypically happens to immigrants on there way North is thrown into the plot of this book. But anyone looking for a quick read will enjoy this book.
Quote-
"She and Luca are actual migrants. That is what they are. And that simple fact, among all the other severe new realities in her life, knocks the breath clean out of her lungs. All her life she's pitied those poor people. She's donated money. She's wondered with he sort of detached fascination of the comfortable elite how dire the conditions of their lives must be wherever they come from, that this is the better option. That these people would leave their homes, their cultures, their families, even their languages, and venture into tremendous peril, risking their lives, all for the chance to get to the dream of some faraway country that doesn't even want them."
***I wanted to read American Dirt for myself since it has generated so much controversy. First, I absolutely agree that more books by people of color should be published and promoted by the publishing industry. Second, does having the moral high-ground give anyone the right to bully, intimidate, and publicly shame an individual? In a world that values words and ideas- are we really going to promote that only some people have the right to write about certain issues?
This may not have been one of my favorite books of the year, but I absolutely see why a publishing company would want it. Publishing is a business and this book will sell. In my estimation Ms. Cummings achieved her goal. She wrote a book designed to sell a lot of copies and promote a particular viewpoint. She wanted to make her readers see immigrants coming North as individuals- with compelling reasons for showing up at our border. Maybe we should view this book as not the enemy- but as a catalyst for change. Hopefully this novel will spark an interest in readers and we will see more novels published and promoted about Latin America. Next on my list are In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.
If you like this try-
Dominicana by Angie Cruz
Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement
In the Midst of Winter by Isabel Allende
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Chritsty Lefteri
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings
378 pages
What’s it about?
Lydia lives in present day Acapulco. She is married to a journalist and has an 8-year-old son named Luca. Lydia owns a bookstore and is not unaware of the drug cartels infiltrating the city. She is able to largely ignore the problem until the cartel strikes her family and she is forced to flee Mexico to save Luca.
What did it make me think about?
It seems to me that this book was written with two goals in mind. To be a page-turner and to make us feel something about the immigrants that arrive from the South. It certainly achieves both goals.
Should I read it?
This book will appeal to a mass audience. It is a quick read with lots of action and a quick plot. It was predictable! Everything you could think of that stereotypically happens to immigrants on there way North is thrown into the plot of this book. But anyone looking for a quick read will enjoy this book.
Quote-
"She and Luca are actual migrants. That is what they are. And that simple fact, among all the other severe new realities in her life, knocks the breath clean out of her lungs. All her life she's pitied those poor people. She's donated money. She's wondered with he sort of detached fascination of the comfortable elite how dire the conditions of their lives must be wherever they come from, that this is the better option. That these people would leave their homes, their cultures, their families, even their languages, and venture into tremendous peril, risking their lives, all for the chance to get to the dream of some faraway country that doesn't even want them."
***I wanted to read American Dirt for myself since it has generated so much controversy. First, I absolutely agree that more books by people of color should be published and promoted by the publishing industry. Second, does having the moral high-ground give anyone the right to bully, intimidate, and publicly shame an individual? In a world that values words and ideas- are we really going to promote that only some people have the right to write about certain issues?
This may not have been one of my favorite books of the year, but I absolutely see why a publishing company would want it. Publishing is a business and this book will sell. In my estimation Ms. Cummings achieved her goal. She wrote a book designed to sell a lot of copies and promote a particular viewpoint. She wanted to make her readers see immigrants coming North as individuals- with compelling reasons for showing up at our border. Maybe we should view this book as not the enemy- but as a catalyst for change. Hopefully this novel will spark an interest in readers and we will see more novels published and promoted about Latin America. Next on my list are In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.
If you like this try-
Dominicana by Angie Cruz
Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement
In the Midst of Winter by Isabel Allende
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Chritsty Lefteri
I guess I am in the minority among my Goodreads friends as I was not drawn into this novel. I was hoping to feel transported to Mexico and to get a sense of what the journey to the US might be like. I didn’t get a strong sense of place and I wonder if the author has actually been there. My favorite character was Luca by far. Some of the other characters who were traveling with them seemed flat. I plan to read Devil’s Highway to compare and contrast.
Book #46: COVID Hit, Christine's selection, which took place via Zoom. Christine arranged for the author to attend the meeting - incredible!
It's great to be starting out a new year with a 5-start book that gets a place on my highly recommended book shelf. A page - turner, it combines the fears and joys of a mother and son going through one of the most extraordinary journeys possible. If there's a book you read this year, make it this one!
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