American Dirt

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?

American Dirt will leave listeners utterly changed. It is a literary achievement filled with poignancy, drama, and humanity. It is one of the most important books for our times.

Already being hailed as “a Grapes of Wrath for our times” and “a new American classic”, Jeanine Cummins’ American Dirt is a rare exploration into the inner hearts of people willing to sacrifice everything for a glimmer of hope.

• American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
• Published by: Macmillan Audio on January 21, 2020
• Genre: Historical fiction, literary fiction
• Listening length: 16 hours 43 minutes
• Dates listened: 5.8.25 – 5.19.25 (11 days)
• Format: Audiobook
• Narrator: Yareli Arizmendi
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• Purchase on Amazon
• ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Sometimes, I feel like I’ve been living under a rock. And that’s how I felt when I discovered this gem of a book. I’d never heard of it! I was hastily trying to find something to listen to on audiobook. I always have a physical/eBook going, as well as an audiobook. This way I can still get some reading in, even when I’m taking a shower, driving to work, etc. Otherwise, I’d probably only have 1-3 books/month read! lol Is it cheating? Naw! I say work smarter, not harder, ok?! haha Anywho…I was searching for books that were available from the library, and this one popped up as popular. Initially, the cover caught my eye. I know, I know! You’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover. But let’s be real. We all do, am I right? I read the blurb and it sounded interesting, BUT….then I saw the advertisement. The annoying, yellow mark that said “Oprah’s Book Club”.

Look, I like Oprah just fine. If she’s the reason that someone picks up a book and reads it, I’m all for it. However, I have read a handful of her “book club” recommendations and I’ve gotta say…we have very different tastes in books. I can remember every single book that I have ever DNF’d, and two of them came from her recommendation book club. The rest of hers that I’ve read have been ok in my opinion, but nothing amazing. So, for me, seeing that yellow advertisement on a book kind of makes me want to keep scrolling. But I really needed to pick a book before I got ready for work, so I gave it a shot. And OMG!!!!! I may be back on the Oprah Book Club bandwagon!! Well, let’s just say that I won’t be turning my snobby nose up at every book that she slaps her name on from now on. Hey, I can admit when I am wrong….sometimes! lol

This book was such a heart-wrenchingly beautiful story. I thought the author told the story amazingly well. I cared about the characters, and I was shocked by the plot as it unfolded. I couldn’t wait to find out how their story would end, but I also kind of didn’t want it to end, because by the end, I felt like they were my family. That’s how much this book sucked me in! One day, I was driving to work while listening to it, and something happened (I won’t spoil it for you), and I was crying alone in my car, trying to see the road through my bleary eyes. Almost as dangerous as trying to text and drive! (Which you obviously should NEVER do!)

I’m going to be honest. There’s not much I can say about this book to do it justice, other than I think it’s a MUST READ!!! I even think this should be required reading in high school English classes and should be discussed. I’m going to tell you why, even though I don’t like to discuss religion or politics. I am a Texas girl, but I’ve lived in multiple states in the U.S. over my lifetime. I don’t think I’ve ever met people who are as proud of their state and their country as Texans are. Texas is a primarily Republican state, and that’s something else that Texans are die-hard about. The rights that are given to them, and what they think the rights of other people should be.

“If it’s only a better life you seek, seek it elsewhere…. This path is only for people who have no choice, no other option, only violence and misery behind you.”

Being a border state, immigration and migrants are nothing new to me. Most of our largest cities in the state have a Hispanic population of over 50%, some as high as 80%. Working in the healthcare field, over half of the patients that I care for are Hispanic migrants. So immigration is a huge political topic where I live and work. I’m ashamed to say that a majority of the people I have had this discussion with don’t like immigrants, especially illegals. I’ve heard many say, “They’re just coming here for an easier life”, or “They just want to take our jobs!”, or “Having them here brings more crime! They’re kicking out their trouble makers to make them our problem!”. While I understand that these are sentiments and opinions born out of fear, resentment, or anger, they simply just aren’t true.

According to the FBI’s report from 2019, all crimes recorded were 2-3x’s more likely to be committed by a white or African American person, not an immigrant. Why do the immigrants get the blame for it, when it’s our own citizens who are the major perpetrators of crimes in our country? Make it make sense!! I also don’t understand why there is such a blanket sentiment of “my country”, when this entire country is a melting pot of people who came from other places in the world, looking for a better way of life. Technically…WE are immigrants! The only people who aren’t are Native Americans. And who says that immigrants have an easier life here? I mean, sure, maybe they’re not having to dodge bullets or worry about being killed daily, but trust me, life is not any easier for them here than it is for you or me. In fact, I’d even argue that it’s probably still a harder life for them than the average U.S. citizen. Many don’t speak English, and are sometimes only able to find jobs that most people don’t want because it’s hard, physical labor work, such as cooking, housekeeping, lawn care, or construction. So they’re “taking our jobs”…that no one wants. Most of the Latino people that I have had the pleasure of knowing in my life, whether personally or professionally, are some of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met. They want the same things we all want. A good, stable life for themselves and their family. They ARE productive members of our society. Illegal immigrants aren’t contributing to taxes, so I can’t argue that point. But if they could be allowed to be legal, then that solves the problem, right?

I’m getting a bit off topic and on a political rant, and I hate politics!! 🤮 This book is just a fictional story, but I’m willing to bet that it’s a similar tale to many, many people who have taken the risk and fled to the U.S. from Mexico. In the book, Lydia and her group find brief refuge along their journey. The priest warns them, “If it’s only a better life you seek, seek it elsewhere…. This path is only for people who have no choice, no other option, only violence and misery behind you” (chapter 17, page 168). He warns them that if they continue, they will be robbed, raped, arrested, and most will die in the desert along the way, or murdered before they can cross the border. I have a hard time believing that a group of people would choose this option, simply because they want to take our jobs or bring their crimes to our lands. If coming to the U.S. is the lesser of two evils…then think about what evil it is that they’re fleeing from. And that’s why I loved this book so much. It gave me a different perspective and an appreciation for what migrant families are having to go through. The hard choices that they are having to make. The story resonated with me and will be something I think that will affect how I look at migrants and the immigration discussion for a very long time.