American Dirt: February Book Club

My husband is now reading this book, and finding it as compelling and eye opening as I did.

Thanks for my copy of American Dirt, I've not come across Jeanine Cummins before. The story was thought provoking and stayed with me long after I'd finished reading it. I can't say I enjoyed it though purely because of the subject matter but it was an interesting read and I'll be seeing if my local library has any of Jeanine's previous books.

The sheer quantity of Spanish words and phrases within the book became a distraction and a nuisance as I was trying to translate them, some were easy to decipher however some required googling, thus the book requires a second reading.

Therefore my question is:
Why didn't you include a glossary of Spanish words at the beginning of the book?

Thanks for the book. I was not sure whether I wanted to read it, but found it a very moving and compulsive read. Lydia is a normal woman in Mexico, with a job in a book shop and family. Her life falls apart and she has to flee the country with her young son to avoid violence and potential death.
The story charts her flight from Mexico to the USA, with the problems she faces - each of which could have been the end of her story. Along the way, she faces hardship but also experiences kindness and friendship.
I think the main message of the book is that not all migrants are involved with drugs, or are economic migrants, but are ordinary people who are caught up with circumstances beyond their control.
The book is concerned with Mexicans trying to get into America, but the same applies to other countries e.g. Syrians trying to get into Europe. Even great Britain is now involved with anti immigrant, xenophobic rhetoric. Behind each single individual there is a story, as with Lydia, and not always happy endings.. People die, people disappear and nobody cares. More people should read this book.
I would have liked to know what happened to Lydia and her son. Were they accepted, or did they have to contend with hostility after all the effort of escaping. Does the author intend to extend the story?

Wow,this isn't my usual type of book, but from the first line, I was hooked, .
American Dirt, is one of the most heart stopping books I've read for a long time.
It brings up the question "How far would you go, to keep your family safe" Could you leap into moving train? We are all have our views of immigration , but we don't know the reason why people leave their countries,. After reading this ,maybe your views will change , it will make you think. It's an important book, one that everyone should read Thank you so much for my copy.

I always think the measure of a good book are the ones that stay with you long after you've long put them down. I read quite a lot, most books, enjoyable in the moment, soon to be forgotten. American Dirt certainly wasn't one of those for me. Lydia's uphill struggle to protect her child and the insurmountable battle to the relative safety of "El Norte" is indeed heart stopping and the bond she forms with Soledad and Rebeca along the way are written to great effect.

I went Mexico over 15 years ago and was bowled over by it, we visited some of the ancient Mayan sites and eco parks where the flora and fauna and marine life are in abundance, the country is beautiful and the people we met were welcoming. It's been alarming to read year on year how the vice like grip of the cartels has escalated and the violence is endemic, in that the book is highly believable. Can't help wondering why little Costa Rica is such an oasis of peace and calm, when the countries that surround it all appear to be immersed in the evils of drug cartels, femicide and other horrors that pertain to such a dark underbelly of the criminal world. My question to Jeanine Cummins, because clearly, from her notes at the end of the books she has researched the subject in detail, would be just that, why, in her opinion is there this one country where seemingly the tentacles of the drug cartels hasn't reached. It is a tourist destination, but then again so is Mexico. I've also read that Columbia has managed to turn a corner and it's not such a dangerous place anymore. What would it take for Mexico and the rest of central America to do the same. It just seems that their governments cannot get a handle on the cartels they are too powerful and far reaching and everyone, literally everyone is in their pockets. How tragic to lose so many of it's citizens to murder and so many more in fear of their lives, like Lydia and her son the only option left open to them is to undertake such a journey and overcome umpteen dangerous and almost impossible obstacles to reach relative safety, if they ever do, and then have to live a life under the radar in constant fear of deportation.

Wonderful book, I'm passing it my husband now I'm sure he will enjoy it too. As I was reading, I was thinking "this is quite filmic, I can see a movie coming down the line"

Best read since "The Heart's Invisible Furies" that's a high bar for me.

Before I knew that I would receive a copy of this book, I listened to an interview with the author by Mariella Frostrup on Open Book, and decided on that basis to buy a copy. I then went off on holiday for just over two weeks, and returned to find American Dirt among my mail [Thank you, GN!] I mention the interview here because it was both informative and thought provoking. It’s available on BBC Sounds. The novel is to feature as Book of the Week in April.
During the interview, the author stated that she hoped that readers would have empathy with the migrants, to see them as fellow human beings. It is a testament to her skills in writing and research that this is so fully accomplished. It’s been a long time since I read a novel that made me feel so emotionally invested in its key characters - Lydia and Luca, Soledad and Rebeca. Gripping from beginning to end, the almost heart stopping fear and brutality of some events are juxtaposed with the kindnesses that the migrants encounter on parts of their journey. I found it difficult to put down and read it over two days and well into the night, where it went on to inhabit my dreams.
Above all, it’s the authenticity of this novel that will stay with me. That and the imagery: e.g. of ‘your body as a cuerpomatico’; removing their dilapidated footwear ‘con un olor a queso’; and even the odd flash of anti Trump humour, referring to his mispronunciation off ‘bad hombres’ as ‘bad hambres’.
In addition to its qualities as a novel, American Dirt is a well researched exposé of the plight of migrants and the enormous hurdles they must overcome. The ‘Author’s Note’ at the end presents statistics on the annual numbers of migrant deaths, noting that “the available statistics are likely only a fraction of the real number of deaths, given that they exclude the many migrants who simply disappear each year”.
My question for the author: Given the nature of Trump’s America, did you ever waiver in your decision to publish this book or regret doing so? And have you or your family felt personally at risk as a result?

I received the book from Gransnet. I felt reluctant to read it to begin with as I didn’t want to be fed a political stance to immigrants trying to cross the border into the USA, because the title American Dirt seemed to indicate that. Perhaps American Soil would have been better?
Finally started reading and became engaged with the believable characters, the reasons they were embarking on the journey and hoped for a successful arrival for them. I read quickly and easily as descriptions of what they were experiencing kept me immersed in the story. I did enjoy it as for me it was about the behaviour of human beings towards one another.
My question to Jeanine is, none of the characters expressed their pride in their own Nationality. During the Second World War it was the resistance movement within Europe who fought back against evil. Do you think that if there was a stronger pride in their own country people as a whole would stay and fight back against poor government and criminal organisations.

I have hesitated to make a contribution as I felt I was the only one not enjoying this book.I have read 150 pages and I will persevere but I just cannot get into it and will be hard pressed to finish it by the end of February. I cannot empathise with Lydia despite her desperate situation and her son seems to be too good to be true. The book is,however, very well written and the descriptions e.g. getting on to La Bestia are powerful.
Probably this is just not my preferred genre.

I was sent this book to read by gransnet. Although it is well written, the subject matter didn't grab me at all and I only managed to read a few chapters so I don't know how it ends. While I have some empathy for the predicament of the main characters, I am personally very against illegal immigration. Most western countries have, over the centuries, tried to become more democratic and 'civilised', if you like, while some other countries seem to have allowed themselves to be overrun with criminality, corrupt politicians and religious extremists.

If all the 'good' people think it is their right to leave then what happens to these countries they leave behind? Those countries will get progressively worse without their influence, then the least of the 'bad' people left behind will want to go too and so on. All the problems are then taken with them and this will eventually affect the host countries they migrate to. We are seeing this the world over. Change needs to come from within, People cannot continually run away from their difficulties and expect to be taken in by other countries. That is my opinion anyway.

An incredible, powerful story of this brutal age that we live in. Even though it is a work of fiction, the story will stay with me for a long time and I am urging others to read this tough but so very important book.
Congratulations to Jeanine Cummins for this tremendously impressive novel.

Thank you so much for this wonderful book. I don't think it is one I would have chosen, which now makes me question my usual choices because I am so glad I have read this. It was harrowing and life-affirming in equal measure, a story that drew me in from page one, and continued to keep me enthralled throughout.

It is rare to come across a book that is both a fast paced page-turner and also so beautifully written with such lyrical prose which made me want to slow it down, so that I could savour the writing.

I shall be on the lookout for the sequel!

Just finished it, thank you so much, can't wait to post a review

Thank you for this book. I’ve just finished it, at times a disturbing read which made me think of the plight of migrants, and displaced people. I intend to read more on this topic. The book certainly has an impact, not sure if I would enjoy it being made into a film.

Halfway through, it's cracking along, reading with my heart in my mouth a lot of the time. I'm not going to read everyone else's comments here until I've finished, but thus far a very, very good read.

I thoroughly enjoyed American Dirt. A fantastic read. I did find parts of the book very harrowing, but then I really expected it. The characters, particularly Lydia and Luca very very real.Lydias devotion to Luca was heartbreaking, and I feel that her love for him was the reason they survived their horrendous journey,
I wonder if Janine Cummins will write a second book to let us devotees know of the fate of Lydia and Luca, yes it ended abruptly, but I personally can imagine my own further story!
Thank you so much again for writing American Dirt, it certainly widened my understanding of a terrible situation .

My copy of this book arrived just as I was seeking some light relief to read and I wondered if I would find this book too daunting and yet from the very first page I knew I was going to read and find out how the story unfolded. Every chapter ended with a hook to keep you reading and Lydia and Luca had you rooting for them to succeed from the start.

It was very easy to relate to their emotions, too, and to hold your breath as they took major risks or seemed about to take a wrong step.

Jeanine has put faces to horrific statistics and as such made us face the horrors of man's inhumanity to man in much the same way as the story of an individual soldier can bring the horror of war to those who have never experienced it for themselves. Having read her author's statement it would seem, that for me at least, she has achieved her aim.

The story and the setting seem so far removed from the author biography provided that it made me wonder what initially sparked the idea to write a novel on the subject and that would be my question for Jeanine.

I agree, Mythbirtthedragon, after a very complex narrative, I felt the ending was very weak. It was as if the author just wanted it finished.

Thanks for my copy of this book. Like others, I have found this compelling and a subject so far I’ve mainly learned about by news reports. While reading it I’ve picked up on some of the controversy that has been gathering; I just hope that by writing this book, Jeanine Cummins has helped to ease the door for others to get their stories heard.

My question is that the end of the book did come very quickly after the level of detail leading up to the desert crossing, almost too neatly. Was this because the author was focussed on ‘getting the party there’? I’d have liked some more detail on how they got to stay.

I can only reiterate what most other reviews have said about this harrowing story. I was very moved by the book, and because I have an eight year-old grandson, felt very drawn to Luca. Kept thinking how hard it would be for him to erase the awful memories from his mind and get on with his new life north of the border.
My question to the author is how did she address all the (undeserved) controversy relating to the book?

Like others on here, this would not have been my book of choice.
I deliberately didn't read anything online about it, despite being aware that there was controversity surrounding it. I wanted to read it without any prior opinions.

What a harrowing book! I had no idea how dangerous life is for some people in Mexico and never really understood until now why migrants would go to such great lengths to get to the USA.

My only knowledge of migrants crossing the desert into the USA was watching documentaries about US border patrols. These programmes do not give a true picture of journeys fraught with danger and what migrants have to endure to get to freedom.

I have to admit that I found the initial meeting between Lydia and Javier a bit far fetched. How did he end up in Lydia's bookshop, without any bodyguards? Surely someone of his notoriety would be well known and his face instantly recognisable.

There were parts I couldn't bear to read, for example when they were trying to board the train and the vulnerability of women travelling on their own. I tried to imagine how it would feel to be Lydia. I couldn't see me being able to attempt that journey, but then again, everything they did was out of sheer desperation and a desire to escape Javier.

I learned about migrant stations, which I didn't know existed, but couldn't quite figure out why they were allowed to function without intervention by the authorities.
In this country, no-one would be able to ride on the roof of a train, without being removed. Did the authorities actually want the migrants to succeed.
It was a totally different culture to what I had imagined.

I thought the ending was a bit weak. How did Lydia manage to get accomodation or get a job with no money or papers?
Or have I missed something.

It would great to see Jeanine Cummins writing a sequel,
focussing on all the protaganists and what the future holds for them.
Does Javier eventually track them down?

I can't say I enjoyed the novel in the way I would normally enjoy a crime novel, but it was a very interesting and enthralling read.

I’ve just finished reading American Dirt. This is a book that will stay with me for a very long time. There were several occasions when I actually shouted in horror at what Lydia, her young son Luca and the teenage Soledad and Rebeca are subjected to on their journey north to the United States. On another occasion (their first time jumping onto the roof of a moving train) I felt real fear for them.

This may be a novel, in the sense that the characters in the book are fictitious, but their story is a very real one for many attempting to seek a better life in the US away from fear and danger. Their experience of illegally crossing from Mexico into the US is played out by “real” people every day. Giving migrants a “voice” via this beautifully written and thought provoking book confirms the author’s assertion that:

“Migrants are people. They are people, they are people, they are people.

I imagine that the book will be made into a film. I would like to ask Jeanine Cummins if she will be involved in the production to insure that the story remains true to the book.

Finally got my hands on a copy, just started it, haven't read the thread because I don't want any spoilers, but will return here when I've read it.

An extremely gripping book full of excitement and cliff hangers. Telling the story of a mother and son who become migrants through very desperate circumstances. Their calm and happy lives are torn away from them and the only answer is to escape to the North.
The book details their hazardous journey on the top of trains and a walking through miles of desert. The characters are well written and I was moved to tears several times. The tangible fear of the gangs, immigration officials and other migrants make this a book with a very strong message. It gives a face to the people, who risk their lives every day crossing the border to the North.
Since I’ve read this book I have read controversial reviews (on other web sites) which accuse the author of racism simply because she isn’t an immigrant. She researched the book for four years and sought opinions on her right to write the book. As someone said “anything that shines a light on the plight of these immigrants can’t be bad!”
I would like to ask Jeanine whether the title refers to the American soil that they are trying to reach or if it’s a derogatory term used by people for the immigrants?

I found “American Dirt” a compelling read. For me, it was informative and harrowing in equal measure. The story follows Lydia and her young son Luca as they flee from their settled, everyday life in Acapulco towards an unknown future in El Norte. They are by no means the only Mexicans making the perilous, illegal journey across the Mexico-US Border and, together with many others, they face numerous challenges on a daily basis - hunger, thirst, cold, danger and frequent threats to life.

Lydia and Luca are fleeing from the boss of a major drug cartel in Acapulco. His shadow haunts them throughout their journey. They are always vigilant and wary of all strangers and, indeed, wary of some of the ‘friends’ they make along the way.

Lydia and Luca are well portrayed in the story. Lydia’s strength of character shines through and her determination to secure a future for herself and her son is unquestionable. Luca, although only eight years old, displays a maturity well beyond his years. Although this is a work of fiction, for me, the portrayals of all characters and their experiences on the journey are believable and realistic.

The only thread of the storyline (no spoilers) I found ‘odd’ was the use Lydia made of Lorenzo’s mobile phone. This seemed very ill-advised. So, my question for Jeanine is why did she put this telephone conversation into the storyline? Is it possibly a ‘hook’ on which to hang a follow-up novel? A sequel would be much welcomed!

Excellent book, well written, unputdownable, a real page turner. So glad you sent it to me, I doubt I would have read it otherwise.