My Side of the River: A Memoir
A New York Times Editor's Pick
A People Magazine Best Book to Read in February
A Goodreads Most Anticipated Book of 2024
“My Side of the River is both fierce and poetic. It brilliantly reframes border writing while embracing nature and familial history. There are moments one sees greatness appear. This is one of those moments.” —Luis Alberto Urrea, New York Times bestselling author of Good Night, Irene
Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez reveals her experience as the U.S. born daughter of immigrants and what happened when, at fifteen, her parents were forced back to Mexico in this captivating and tender memoir.
Born to Mexican immigrants south of the Rillito River in Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth had the world at her fingertips. She was preparing to enter her freshman year of high school as the number one student when suddenly, her own country took away the most important right a child has: the right to have a family.
When her parents’ visas expired and they were forced to return to Mexico, Elizabeth was left responsible for her younger brother, as well as her education. Determined to break the cycle of being a “statistic,” she knew that even though her parents couldn’t stay, there was no way she could let go of the opportunities the U.S. could provide. Armed with only her passport and sheer teenage determination, Elizabeth became what her school would eventually describe as an unaccompanied homeless youth, one of thousands of underage victims affected by family separation due to broken immigration laws.
For fans of Educated by Tara Westover and The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande, My Side of the River explores separation, generational trauma, and the toll of the American dream. It’s also, at its core, a love story between a brother and a sister who, no matter the cost, is determined to make the pursuit of her brother’s dreams easier than it was for her.
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Community Reviews
"Poverty teaches you a resourcefulness you never need to learn if you are nurtured in privilege."
Gutierrez is well known for her TED talk titled, "What's missing from the American immigrant narrative", which I found to be not only personally relatable but also important given my own family's immigration journey and the political climate we find ourselves in.
In her book, "My Side of the River", Gutierrez recounts her story of growing up with immigrant parents, and the emergence of the SB1070 bill, which essentially legalized racial profiling by allowing authorities to request legal documentation from any person for any reason at any time. Her story continues into adulthood and her journey not only in higher education but also in joining the corporate world.
Gutierrez writes in what feels like her own speaking voice, which makes the book very readable, but a bit difficult to engage with at times. As it does read more like a transcript of a conversation she's having with a friend, I do feel that this would be an excellent audiobook and I look forward to listening to this when the audiobook becomes available.
I recommend this book if you enjoy:
Latin-American stories, stepping into someone else's shoes, sprinkles of humor, coming-of-age stories, and learning more about what it's like to be a first-generation child of immigrants.
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