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Book Information
American Dirt: A Novel
Written by Jeanine Cummins
Narrated by Jeanine Cummins and Yareli Arizmendi
Book Actions
Start ListeningEditor's Note
Oprah’s Book Club…
This #1 NYT bestseller was initially acclaimed by reviewers, and all but destined for success once it was announced as an Oprah’s Book Club pick. But an outcry over what many saw as the appropriation of the immigrant experience sparked a powerful backlash. The result has been an important, difficult conversation about the lack of diversity in publishing.
Description
También de este lado hay sueños. On this side, too, there are dreams.
Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.
Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day, a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy—two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.
Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia—trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?
Book Actions
Start ListeningBook Information
American Dirt: A Novel
Written by Jeanine Cummins
Narrated by Jeanine Cummins and Yareli Arizmendi
Editor's Note
Oprah’s Book Club…
This #1 NYT bestseller was initially acclaimed by reviewers, and all but destined for success once it was announced as an Oprah’s Book Club pick. But an outcry over what many saw as the appropriation of the immigrant experience sparked a powerful backlash. The result has been an important, difficult conversation about the lack of diversity in publishing.
Description
También de este lado hay sueños. On this side, too, there are dreams.
Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.
Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day, a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy—two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.
Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia—trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?
About the author
JC![]()
Reviews
Although the story is heart wrenching it was well told.
Rating: 5Riveting, harrowing, informative, divulging in the struggle of the immigrant. Excellente!
Rating: 5The arduous journey of illegal immigrants powerfully described. I don’t consider this novel “a novel”because without any hesitation I know it’s someone’s real story.
Rating: 5
A fantastic, heartbreaking book. So utterly important to read. No human is illegal.
Rating: 5This book made me think of immigration in a different way. I am grateful for all the research the author put into this novel.
Rating: 5The author didn’t hold back on detailing the gruesome reality of migrants and their struggles. Some parts were hard to listen to but unfortunately it is the world we live in.
Rating: 5Great story, it brings out many feelings. Hate, love , hope, happiness, too name a few.
Rating: 5
This story was phenomenal and extremely eye opening for me. Prior to this book, I had not considered the dire situations in which migrants are fleeing from. Many of these situations were ones where they had no control or resulted simply from the location where they were born. Being a Texas resident, I tend to think only of the Mexican border towns that are overwhelmed by cartels and not of the whole country. I tend to forget that there are many good people in the country as well. And those good people don’t want association with the drugs, gangs and violence anymore than I do. I’ll definitely change my thinking! Thank you for writing this wonderful story.
Rating: 5
This was such a strong book. Each character was so beautifully written. This book is deeply engraved in my heart.
Rating: 5I read this book and then delved into the controversy surrounding it. I thought it was an amazingly written book and am finding that the controversy has nothing to do with the book itself but with the institution of publishing agencies and literary agents. The book takes a middle class woman in Mexico and transforms her story into something that the middle class white women in America can muster empathy and compassion for. The story is fiction but representative. Heartbreaking but beautiful. The best book I have read this year.
Rating: 5The narrator was fantastic. I enjoyed this look into a journey I was otherwise largely unfamiliar with.
Rating: 5
This book was excellent!! Captivating from the beginning. Tears at all heart strings
Rating: 5The narrator made this book come to life. The stories woven throughout the book touched my heart in so many ways this was beautifully written I enjoyed every moment of reading it.
Rating: 5
This book is so interesting and my heart ached for the characters. I couldn't stop listening! This is such a good look into what it might be like for migrants fleeing from Mexico to the United States.
Rating: 5
Trigger Warnings: Violence, rape, criminal activities
Disclosures
Before I start the review, I would like to address some things, and it may get personal. If you just want to read my review, head to the bottom.
1. I'm a Hispanic/Latinx mid-20 somethin' reading a book about a well-off Mexican bookseller. To be precise, I'm a Mexican-American, first generation, who frequently travels to Mexico.
2. I listened to this book in it's entirety, IN SPANISH-- Narrator: Diana Torres
My Review:
I refused to read at first, for a lot of reasons but at the end of the day, I'm still a reader, I have been conditioned to read books I dislike and hate (thanks English classes through all my life). I went in to this book knowing I would be disappointment, but like all band-aids, it's better to take it off quick. Man -- where do I even start.
So, I don't know why people are comparing it to Grapes of Wrath, the only thing they have in common is that the protagonist had to move from their home... And why would someone even consider this as becoming "An American Classic?" Like how?
So let's start with the plot. I'm not going to lie, I was intrigued by the premise, although in my mind, for great expectations I was thinking something similar to Narcos: Mexico or El Chapo (both watched on Netflix), and for low expectations I was thinking the Hispanic soap, "Escobar, el patrón del mal" (which I think is on Netflix now, but I watched it on Telemundo). Of course, this book is meant to be on the receiving end of the aforementioned TV shows, but that fell flat. SO -- back to the plot -- this book in-itself was a telenovela (soap). Nothing was believable, everything was melodramatic, this story had shit that just wouldn't happen in real life -- at least Cummins had the decency not to name the protagonist Maria.
Lydia, the protagonist, is pretty clueless about what's happening in her own city, and that's considering her husband is a reporter & she reads the paper. The only thing I could relate to was her love of books! The whole relationship between Lydia & Javier is just pure fantasy. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for great friendships, work-husband-type relationships, but to make the protagonist have that relationship with the antagonist, that just seems to YA and just sloppy.
I had no problem with Luca, I mean anyone can have a super smart/gifted child. But honestly, even an 8 year old, living in Mexico, is very well aware of what's going on.
The first scene, I guess we can call it the catalyst for the story to even happen, is (view spoiler). So, going back to my expectations being similar to Narcos: Mexico and all those other TV shows, this is where my exceptions just evaporated -- and the book just begun. For someone who is not well versed in cartel torture and massacres, I at least know that it's more horrific and traumatizing than what Cummins described. The whole scene was just fluff. And any scene that should have been suspenseful or thrilling or gory and graphic, was just more fluff. Exactly what I would expect boomer white ladies to find "controversial" at their book club -- because I had to keep reminding myself that this book WAS NOT intended for Mexican/Hispanic/Latinx audience, it was intended for those who follow Oprah and who like to portray themselves a "white savior."
And when they mentioned San Miguel de Allende -- I got irritated. She mentioned a glorieta (traffic circle), which according to the audio was the entrance to the downtown area, there's two glorietas in San Miguel de Allende, and once she described the statue, I know exactly where Lydia, Luca, Rebecca & Soledad were -- Great, but WRONG!!! The glorieta she mentions is at the entrance of the city, not downtown, just because there's a shopping mall and other stores around does not make that a downtown area. And this I know because that's where my dad's from, that's where I mainly go when I go to Mexico, I know my city!! I can't say the same for any of the other places mentioned.
The only thing that I found accurate & not so melodramatic, was when El Chacal mentioned that when cartels started taking over desert routes, he was sometimes obligated to smuggle in things and people he didn't want to.
Again, I understand that this book was not intended for an audience like myself, but some of the scenes Cummins presented are just too far from the truth.
And the ending -- of course it had to be a normal, almost happy, ending, oh, and stereotypical. I have nothing against housemaids or cleaning ladies, my mom and aunt were ones, but is that really what Cummins thinks is the only job available to immigrant women?
Lastly, (the true ending of the novel) the whole conversation with Luca's teacher about her knowing an immigration attorney was in bad taste in my opinion. If every immigrant's issue would be solved by a good attorney there would not be this big of an immigration issue. The fact that Cummins mentioned that at the end of her book is just infuriating. I'm sure if it were a viable option, many immigrants would take it in a heart beat.
And don't get me started on the writing. Although I listened to it (in Spanish, my native language), I noticed things that were off. There were some things that, no matter how educated you are, you wouldn't say -- and this could have just been because I listened rather than read. The writing was just not captivating enough. The true portrayal of fear was not present, it wasn't real, the traumatic experiences Rebecca & Soledad were glossed over. I could pause the audio and totally forget about it for days. It was A DRAG to read/listen to this. The only saving grace was that the narrator, Diana Torres, was okay, her voice wasn't annoying.
All controversy aside, this book just -- I don't even know what to say anymore. I got what I expected, and honestly, I was still disappointed.
Over All Rating: 2.4 (round down to 2)
**For full review, go to GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3451162049?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1 **
Rating: 2Disclosures
Before I start the review, I would like to address some things, and it may get personal. If you just want to read my review, head to the bottom.
1. I'm a Hispanic/Latinx mid-20 somethin' reading a book about a well-off Mexican bookseller. To be precise, I'm a Mexican-American, first generation, who frequently travels to Mexico.
2. I listened to this book in it's entirety, IN SPANISH-- Narrator: Diana Torres
My Review:
I refused to read at first, for a lot of reasons but at the end of the day, I'm still a reader, I have been conditioned to read books I dislike and hate (thanks English classes through all my life). I went in to this book knowing I would be disappointment, but like all band-aids, it's better to take it off quick. Man -- where do I even start.
So, I don't know why people are comparing it to Grapes of Wrath, the only thing they have in common is that the protagonist had to move from their home... And why would someone even consider this as becoming "An American Classic?" Like how?
So let's start with the plot. I'm not going to lie, I was intrigued by the premise, although in my mind, for great expectations I was thinking something similar to Narcos: Mexico or El Chapo (both watched on Netflix), and for low expectations I was thinking the Hispanic soap, "Escobar, el patrón del mal" (which I think is on Netflix now, but I watched it on Telemundo). Of course, this book is meant to be on the receiving end of the aforementioned TV shows, but that fell flat. SO -- back to the plot -- this book in-itself was a telenovela (soap). Nothing was believable, everything was melodramatic, this story had shit that just wouldn't happen in real life -- at least Cummins had the decency not to name the protagonist Maria.
Lydia, the protagonist, is pretty clueless about what's happening in her own city, and that's considering her husband is a reporter & she reads the paper. The only thing I could relate to was her love of books! The whole relationship between Lydia & Javier is just pure fantasy. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for great friendships, work-husband-type relationships, but to make the protagonist have that relationship with the antagonist, that just seems to YA and just sloppy.
I had no problem with Luca, I mean anyone can have a super smart/gifted child. But honestly, even an 8 year old, living in Mexico, is very well aware of what's going on.
The first scene, I guess we can call it the catalyst for the story to even happen, is (view spoiler). So, going back to my expectations being similar to Narcos: Mexico and all those other TV shows, this is where my exceptions just evaporated -- and the book just begun. For someone who is not well versed in cartel torture and massacres, I at least know that it's more horrific and traumatizing than what Cummins described. The whole scene was just fluff. And any scene that should have been suspenseful or thrilling or gory and graphic, was just more fluff. Exactly what I would expect boomer white ladies to find "controversial" at their book club -- because I had to keep reminding myself that this book WAS NOT intended for Mexican/Hispanic/Latinx audience, it was intended for those who follow Oprah and who like to portray themselves a "white savior."
And when they mentioned San Miguel de Allende -- I got irritated. She mentioned a glorieta (traffic circle), which according to the audio was the entrance to the downtown area, there's two glorietas in San Miguel de Allende, and once she described the statue, I know exactly where Lydia, Luca, Rebecca & Soledad were -- Great, but WRONG!!! The glorieta she mentions is at the entrance of the city, not downtown, just because there's a shopping mall and other stores around does not make that a downtown area. And this I know because that's where my dad's from, that's where I mainly go when I go to Mexico, I know my city!! I can't say the same for any of the other places mentioned.
The only thing that I found accurate & not so melodramatic, was when El Chacal mentioned that when cartels started taking over desert routes, he was sometimes obligated to smuggle in things and people he didn't want to.
Again, I understand that this book was not intended for an audience like myself, but some of the scenes Cummins presented are just too far from the truth.
And the ending -- of course it had to be a normal, almost happy, ending, oh, and stereotypical. I have nothing against housemaids or cleaning ladies, my mom and aunt were ones, but is that really what Cummins thinks is the only job available to immigrant women?
Lastly, (the true ending of the novel) the whole conversation with Luca's teacher about her knowing an immigration attorney was in bad taste in my opinion. If every immigrant's issue would be solved by a good attorney there would not be this big of an immigration issue. The fact that Cummins mentioned that at the end of her book is just infuriating. I'm sure if it were a viable option, many immigrants would take it in a heart beat.
And don't get me started on the writing. Although I listened to it (in Spanish, my native language), I noticed things that were off. There were some things that, no matter how educated you are, you wouldn't say -- and this could have just been because I listened rather than read. The writing was just not captivating enough. The true portrayal of fear was not present, it wasn't real, the traumatic experiences Rebecca & Soledad were glossed over. I could pause the audio and totally forget about it for days. It was A DRAG to read/listen to this. The only saving grace was that the narrator, Diana Torres, was okay, her voice wasn't annoying.
All controversy aside, this book just -- I don't even know what to say anymore. I got what I expected, and honestly, I was still disappointed.
Over All Rating: 2.4 (round down to 2)
**For full review, go to GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3451162049?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1 **
I’ve never read a book from this perspective before. I think we all have preconceived notions about immigration and reading it from a mother’s perspective was so powerful. I know there’s a lot of controversy around the authors ethnicity, but I think the story is great and she’s a wonderful writer. It’s clear that she wrote this story to shed light on the atrocities happening in Mexico and wasn’t trying to capitalize on the backs of people of color.
Rating: 5Couldn't stop listening. Phenomenal book. The push back again her not being Latinx "enough" is understandable, but given her exhaustive research and passion for the subject, not to mention her extrodinary writing ability, I urge others to read.
Rating: 5
I absolutely LOVED this book.. unforgettable circumstances and characters. Highly recommended!
Rating: 5Enjoyed it very much. Time well spent. I believe you will like it too.
Rating: 4A very well written story. A story that will leave you thinking about how you perceive things. Bravo to the author for crafting such a remarkable story. I did not want to stop listening from one chapter to the next. It is one of those stories that will stay with you long after you have read it.
Rating: 5
An amazing story depicting some of the ordeals migrants live while traveling to the USA through Mexico, I hope this book can bring some light to the way some people treat others and then complain about the way they are treated.
Beautiful narration is full of imagery and almost picture-like descriptions of some places or events. Almost impossible to stop reading.
Rating: 5Beautiful narration is full of imagery and almost picture-like descriptions of some places or events. Almost impossible to stop reading.
Wow! Such a great story. Get the tissues ready and brace yourself for a gritty tale of trying to make it out of Mexico alive. The journey the author takes you on is heart breaking and you will root for the characters to reach a triumphant end, though not all do. Hence, the tissues.
Rating: 5A powerful, moving story of a mother fighting for her and her sons survival after experiencing a traumatic act of violence. No American can read this and think the country needs a border wall.
Rating: 5A must read. You do not have to like it. But you should read it anyway. I am changed by this book. And I liked it
Rating: 4Inspiring. Hard to read in some places about what these human beings have faced. We have no idea.
Rating: 5Written in a way that it does not present the dreadful journey.
Rating: 3The narrator did a wonderful job and really gave this story a voice! The story itself was gripping and hard to pause.
Rating: 4I don’t have words to sufficiently praise this book - to say its a gripping story, beautifully written with deep insights into characters that will live in my memory, is such an understatement. I felt I was also on the journey, experiencing what everyone saw and felt. It’s a heart wrenching gritty story against a well researched background. I was both relieved and sad to finish it. I loved the audiobook, and also the authors comments at the end authenticate the book. I loved this book and feel inspired but also bereft.
Rating: 5