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En Búsqueda de un Sueño
La extraordinaria historia de Reyna Grande—que comenzó en su exitosa autobiografía La distancia entre nosotros—continúa con su inspiradora travesía de buscar su lugar en los Estados Unidos como universitaria latina de primera generación y valientemente decidida a construir una nueva vida como escritora, una palabra a la vez.
A los nueve años, Reyna Grande cruzó la frontera entre México y los Estados Unidos en busca de un hogar y de reunirse a toda costa con los padres que la dejaron atrás mientras perseguían una mejor vida en Los Ángeles. Pero lo que encontró al cruzar fue a una madre indiferente, un padre alcohólico y abusador, y un sistema escolar que menospreciaba sus raíces.
Con muy pocos recursos a su disposición, Reyna se refugió en las palabras. Su amor por la lectura y la escritura la impulsó a salir adelante para lograr lo que parecía imposible: ser aceptada en la Universidad de California, recinto de Santa Cruz. Pero la experiencia universitaria real fue intimidante y desconocida para alguien como Reyna, quien tuvo que separarse nuevamente de su familia y de su círculo de apoyo. Se aferró a su deseo de ser escritora, pero pronto descubrió que desconocía de lo que se requiere para construir una carrera a partir de un sueño.
A pesar de todo, Reyna pasa de ser una inmigrante indocumentada de escasos recursos a “una escritora valiente, inteligente y brillante” (Cheryl Strayed, autora de Wild) y finalista del premio National Book Critics Circle Award, que “habla por millones de inmigrantes cuyas voces no han sido escuchadas” (Sandra Cisneros, autora de La casa en Mango Street).
Narrada con la prosa conmovedora y sincera que caracteriza a la autora, En búsqueda de un sueño muestra cómo, al atreverse a perseguir sus sueños, Reyna pudo construir lo que siempre había anhelado: un hogar duradero.
A los nueve años, Reyna Grande cruzó la frontera entre México y los Estados Unidos en busca de un hogar y de reunirse a toda costa con los padres que la dejaron atrás mientras perseguían una mejor vida en Los Ángeles. Pero lo que encontró al cruzar fue a una madre indiferente, un padre alcohólico y abusador, y un sistema escolar que menospreciaba sus raíces.
Con muy pocos recursos a su disposición, Reyna se refugió en las palabras. Su amor por la lectura y la escritura la impulsó a salir adelante para lograr lo que parecía imposible: ser aceptada en la Universidad de California, recinto de Santa Cruz. Pero la experiencia universitaria real fue intimidante y desconocida para alguien como Reyna, quien tuvo que separarse nuevamente de su familia y de su círculo de apoyo. Se aferró a su deseo de ser escritora, pero pronto descubrió que desconocía de lo que se requiere para construir una carrera a partir de un sueño.
A pesar de todo, Reyna pasa de ser una inmigrante indocumentada de escasos recursos a “una escritora valiente, inteligente y brillante” (Cheryl Strayed, autora de Wild) y finalista del premio National Book Critics Circle Award, que “habla por millones de inmigrantes cuyas voces no han sido escuchadas” (Sandra Cisneros, autora de La casa en Mango Street).
Narrada con la prosa conmovedora y sincera que caracteriza a la autora, En búsqueda de un sueño muestra cómo, al atreverse a perseguir sus sueños, Reyna pudo construir lo que siempre había anhelado: un hogar duradero.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2018
319 people are currently reading
7767 people want to read
About the author
Reyna Grande
19 books1,069 followersReyna Grande is the author of three novels, Across a Hundred Mountains, which received a 2007 American Book Award; Dancing with Butterflies, which received a 2010 International Latino Book Award, and A Ballad of Love and Glory, which was a Los Angeles Times Book Club selection in 2022. In her memoir, The Distance Between Us (Atria, 2012) Reyna recounts her experiences as a child left behind in Mexico when her parents emigrated to the U.S. in search of work, and her own journey to the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant at the age of nine. Its sequel, A Dream Called Home, was published in 2018. Her latest book is Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings, an anthology by and about undocumented Americans.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
December 30, 2018
A very timely read. In the states one would have to living under a rock to not realize how the immigration is dividing our country. I'm not going to offer my opinion on this issue, just state my thoughts on this memoir.
Her father came first, than her mother, finally when she was nine her father came back for the three children. All illegal, they were caught twice by patrols and sent back to Tijuana, the third time they made it. They settled in California, but by now her family was fractured, her father a difficult, hard drinking man. Reyna vowed she would make something of herself, work hard, go to college and make the most of her opportunities here in America.
She does, and in a honest, no holds barred voice, she tells us of her journey, book mentally and physically. Never feeling like she fit anywhere, her difficulties in defining herself, her heritage, culture. The fear of being illegal, though that has been remedied, of getting caught, sent back. Her fear of not making it, not being strong enough, smart enough. Working hard,while in school, taking other jobs,smsll shared apartments, having to watch how every penny was spent. Her struggle with her family, trying to make them proud of her but never succeeding no matter how much she thrived. She does learn more about their own upbringing later, that helps her understand their actions. Her fisits back to the poor village she was from to see her grandmother, other family that still lived there. Realizing she now didn't fully fit in either place.
Such an interesting and heartfelt story, putting a face to those who come here to escape poverty, for opportunities. I admire her moxie, and if you read this I think you will too.
Her father came first, than her mother, finally when she was nine her father came back for the three children. All illegal, they were caught twice by patrols and sent back to Tijuana, the third time they made it. They settled in California, but by now her family was fractured, her father a difficult, hard drinking man. Reyna vowed she would make something of herself, work hard, go to college and make the most of her opportunities here in America.
She does, and in a honest, no holds barred voice, she tells us of her journey, book mentally and physically. Never feeling like she fit anywhere, her difficulties in defining herself, her heritage, culture. The fear of being illegal, though that has been remedied, of getting caught, sent back. Her fear of not making it, not being strong enough, smart enough. Working hard,while in school, taking other jobs,smsll shared apartments, having to watch how every penny was spent. Her struggle with her family, trying to make them proud of her but never succeeding no matter how much she thrived. She does learn more about their own upbringing later, that helps her understand their actions. Her fisits back to the poor village she was from to see her grandmother, other family that still lived there. Realizing she now didn't fully fit in either place.
Such an interesting and heartfelt story, putting a face to those who come here to escape poverty, for opportunities. I admire her moxie, and if you read this I think you will too.
April 21, 2020
Surprising --VERY ENJOYABLE audiobook!!!.....(read by Yareli Arizmendi)
"When Reyna Grande was nine years old, she walked across the US- Mexico border in search of a home, desperate to be reunited with the parents who had left her behind years before for a better life in the City of Angels. What she found instead was a different mother, an abusive, alcoholic father, and a school system that belittled her heritage".......
This story is intimate/ and real (it IS REAL) -- the writing flowed easily --its one of those books --where you feel like you're sitting in the same room -- listening to your friend tell you a story.
I was in book-reading heaven -- when Reyna shared about her life at UC Santa Cruz.... (home of Sammy the Banana slug)...
Half of my friends were at UC Santa Cruz when I was at UC Berkeley -- (we use to weekend -hop-back to each others college campuses)....
Way --too many memories -- Plus our daughter worked on campus when she performed with the Santa Cruz Shakespeare company. ---so I've her memories of living on campus too.
Reyna's story is captivating, and heartfelt.
A wonderful immigration story. Those of us who live in California. (southern or northern) --will appreciate the many 'spots' of interests --streets where you have walked!
I look forward to read more books by Reyna. (this was my first)
"When Reyna Grande was nine years old, she walked across the US- Mexico border in search of a home, desperate to be reunited with the parents who had left her behind years before for a better life in the City of Angels. What she found instead was a different mother, an abusive, alcoholic father, and a school system that belittled her heritage".......
This story is intimate/ and real (it IS REAL) -- the writing flowed easily --its one of those books --where you feel like you're sitting in the same room -- listening to your friend tell you a story.
I was in book-reading heaven -- when Reyna shared about her life at UC Santa Cruz.... (home of Sammy the Banana slug)...
Half of my friends were at UC Santa Cruz when I was at UC Berkeley -- (we use to weekend -hop-back to each others college campuses)....
Way --too many memories -- Plus our daughter worked on campus when she performed with the Santa Cruz Shakespeare company. ---so I've her memories of living on campus too.
Reyna's story is captivating, and heartfelt.
A wonderful immigration story. Those of us who live in California. (southern or northern) --will appreciate the many 'spots' of interests --streets where you have walked!
I look forward to read more books by Reyna. (this was my first)
October 7, 2018
Reyna Grande’s memoir “The Distance Between Us” brought to life the heart-breaking experience of a young girl left behind in Mexico when her parents illegally immigrated to America. She continues her story in the brilliantly written and emotionally affecting “A Dream Called Home.” After she is finally brought to America she pursues her dream of a college education and becoming a writer. Her path is filled with hardship and feeling that she doesn’t belong, no matter where she is. Despite the many obstacles she faces, she pursues her dream with fortitude and tenacity. Grande writes with luminous prose of her struggles and successes and the result is an extremely relevant, compelling, heartfelt, and inspiring book.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 4, 2020
After reading Grande's thoughtful essay on American Dirt in January, I knew I wanted to read more of her. Grande crossed the US Mexican border as a child and writes authentically about living as an immigrant. A Dream Called Home is about her adjustment to college and afterwards. I found this memoir enjoyable and educational. Grande writes with an open and passionate voice - taking the reader along with her on her journey.
September 4, 2018
Reyna Grande was just nine-years-old when she walked across the U.S.-Mexican border in search of her parents who left her years before. The parents she finds aren't the parents a young girl longs for. Reyna surrounds herself reading books and writing. Once she is accepted to the Uuniversity of California she finds it isn't all that easy to follow your dreams. Told in her own words, her experience for the American Dream is heart breaking yet triumphant. Rising against all odds. A remarkable read I felt deeply.
Dawnny-Book Gypsy
Novels N Latte
Book Blog
Dawnny-Book Gypsy
Novels N Latte
Book Blog
August 30, 2018
---- Disclosure: I received this book for free from Goodreads. ----
Yeah, this just didn't sit so well w/ me. On a positive note, there are a lot of authors to explore mentioned in the story, & I am grateful to have been made aware of these people, b/c now I can go explore their works for myself. There is enough interesting content available in here, particularly about different parts of Mexico. Overall, the book mostly describes the author making her way through an (early) adulthood for which she hadn't been well-prepared. There is plenty in there to write about, but I ran into problems with it.
The writing style just didn't resound w/ me. Portions of it were fine, but others fell flat. The next issue I had stems from the fact that my personal story is not so different from hers, excepting, of course, for the immigrant experience, which I'll grant is no small thing. The large similarities though, are partly why I was able to identify w/ her predicaments, even when the writing didn't convey the experience so well, & as stated, also partly why I had problems w/ her. At the time of this writing, she still hasn't learned to stand up for herself against others, or to define personal boundary lines. A beaten dog is left with its owner & she never even seems to consider any other possibility. She also still allows abusive & opportunistic people to walk all over her, but goes on & on about just wishing it were some other way. Puh-leez. Finally, I've a hard time feeling anything for someone for who gets $120 highlights while forgetting the starving grandmother in a shack who raised them when they were otherwise abandoned. Fucking no.
Fucking no.
Just fucking no.
The author seems yet to have figured out that learning about other people's pasts can indeed help toward understanding their development, but that information does not excuse habitually harmful behavior toward other people. If the author decides to continue to let these people bring such behavior into her life, & now that of her son's, well that's really on her.
To sum it all up, this book should have been up my alley, but I almost hate it. That's a shame really, b/c books about the immigrant experience are important. The author is correct in thinking that books speaking to that experience, especially those targeted toward children, are sorely needed. I wish her luck on trying to fill that gap, b/c she's probably a good candidate for that job. As far as further experiences about her adulthood are concerned though, I'm not interested..... not even if the writing gets better. I understand that her former book about trying to cross into the U.S. is more well-liked, but I can't speak to that as this was my 1st experience w/ this author.
September 18, 2018
I’m working on my #ReadAfrica2018 reading project, but had to take a break for Reyna Grande’s A Dream Called Home - and I’m so glad I did! Although now I feel like I have opened a new door to a new reading challenge as she mentions so many writers and poets that I know I need to read! I have taken their names down and will keep it on the back burner for next year. Also, quite fittingly, it’s Hispanic Heritage Month here in the US, so this was a brilliantly timed memoir, both in terms of Reyna being a writer born in Mexico, and also an immigrant in the US.
A Dream Called Home is Reyna’s story of fighting for her dreams, despite her background, despite the setbacks and roadblocks, and despite the clichés and boxes people tend to stuff one another in here in the US (although that definitely doesn’t just happen here). She wrote about her story as a young Mexican girl crossing the border into the US in her memoir The Distance Between Us, and A Dream Called Home is the story of becoming an adult in a world where she never really feels at home. Each book can be read alone though.
Reyna’s parents left her and her siblings with their grandmothers in Iguala, Mexico, when they were children, and crossed the border to the US. Iguala, at the time, and most likely still today, was extremely poor, and opportunities were few and far between. Reyna’s father came back to collect them when Reyna was about 9 and they made the difficult crossing together three times (the first two times they were sent back). That itself amazes me - the crossing is so hard for an adult, I can’t even imagine how tough it would have been on a young child. Her strength and perseverance have always been there…
Anyway, in A Dream Called Home Reyna starts with her years at university, and moves on to telling the stories of how she became a teacher, a single mother, and how she continued to push herself to write and to be published. I don’t think I can express how inspiring this book was to me, and how there were some areas that I related to (but more that my partner relates to, our own stories and immigration stories meet and differ in many places). I will be buying a copy of this book for my children, so that when they are older they will understand some of the choices their parents had to make, and also know that the world is theirs, and their voices have as much weight as other voices.
Reyna’s recollections are full of many profound statements that hit me hard: that feeling of not belonging anywhere anymore, a double identity that doesn’t fit in here or there. I still carry that with me wherever I go. Reyna has inspired me to keep pushing with my own stories and my own writing, and inspired me to keep reading and talking about the stories that no one wants to talk about.
“As with the moon, there is the face that we immigrants show to the world, but our second face is the one we keep hidden in darkness so that no one can see us weeping.”
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!
A Dream Called Home is Reyna’s story of fighting for her dreams, despite her background, despite the setbacks and roadblocks, and despite the clichés and boxes people tend to stuff one another in here in the US (although that definitely doesn’t just happen here). She wrote about her story as a young Mexican girl crossing the border into the US in her memoir The Distance Between Us, and A Dream Called Home is the story of becoming an adult in a world where she never really feels at home. Each book can be read alone though.
Reyna’s parents left her and her siblings with their grandmothers in Iguala, Mexico, when they were children, and crossed the border to the US. Iguala, at the time, and most likely still today, was extremely poor, and opportunities were few and far between. Reyna’s father came back to collect them when Reyna was about 9 and they made the difficult crossing together three times (the first two times they were sent back). That itself amazes me - the crossing is so hard for an adult, I can’t even imagine how tough it would have been on a young child. Her strength and perseverance have always been there…
Anyway, in A Dream Called Home Reyna starts with her years at university, and moves on to telling the stories of how she became a teacher, a single mother, and how she continued to push herself to write and to be published. I don’t think I can express how inspiring this book was to me, and how there were some areas that I related to (but more that my partner relates to, our own stories and immigration stories meet and differ in many places). I will be buying a copy of this book for my children, so that when they are older they will understand some of the choices their parents had to make, and also know that the world is theirs, and their voices have as much weight as other voices.
Reyna’s recollections are full of many profound statements that hit me hard: that feeling of not belonging anywhere anymore, a double identity that doesn’t fit in here or there. I still carry that with me wherever I go. Reyna has inspired me to keep pushing with my own stories and my own writing, and inspired me to keep reading and talking about the stories that no one wants to talk about.
“As with the moon, there is the face that we immigrants show to the world, but our second face is the one we keep hidden in darkness so that no one can see us weeping.”
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!
September 2, 2020
This could be a tragic lump of paper, but instead it's about someone putting the steps forward. What one sees as a cross to bear, another sees as salvation.
As a young child, Grande was left in Mexico by her parents, who went to the U.S. to look for better lives for themselves and their families. The parents got divorced and found other spouses. As the book unfolds, Reyna learns about the violence in her family going back generations, of forced marriages and abused kids carrying on the hurt into their parenting. As cruel and introverted as her dad was, Grande ALWAYS heard the message to work hard and get an education. He wanted his kids to break they cycle any way they could. They tried, each in their own way, by emigrating to the U.S., and with Reyna getting back and attempting to better understand those left behind in the poor community of Iguala, Guerrero.
I was most impressed by Grande's tenacity to be the first person in her family to graduate from college. She got a writing degree, but one that didn't teach her about the business side of being an author. At a later point in the story, she was, simultaneously, a new mother, a middle school teacher, working on a degree to teach adults, reading and writing and meeting weekly for a prized writing fellowship she had won, getting comfortable in a new but run-down house in South Central L.A., looking for an literary agent, and writing a novel. She says it best - 'How could I encourage my son to follow his dreams unless I followed my own? ... I was doing it for both of us.' The focus she shows is extraordinary, the urgency to overcome hardship after hardship, looking for things to get easier for all the opportunities she keeps presenting herself.
After some bad relationship decisions, she meets a man with a totally different background than herself - middle class, white and comfortable. But Cory is honest, calm, positive and takes things as they come. Grande acknowledges all the things she was able to accomplish, motivated to be better than all the depravity she grew up in. They each bring a lot to the table and attempt to create a home of their own. Turns out Cory is far from his upbringing too.
I only retract a star because I wanted more. The book felt like it had a word limit, felt a little too dense. But Grande is vulnerable and to the point. This is a personal story. Most bigger-picture views have to be constructed around it.
The author earns extra points for dropping the titles of some great books, for a humility that is only matched by her admiration in the healing power of the written word.
As a young child, Grande was left in Mexico by her parents, who went to the U.S. to look for better lives for themselves and their families. The parents got divorced and found other spouses. As the book unfolds, Reyna learns about the violence in her family going back generations, of forced marriages and abused kids carrying on the hurt into their parenting. As cruel and introverted as her dad was, Grande ALWAYS heard the message to work hard and get an education. He wanted his kids to break they cycle any way they could. They tried, each in their own way, by emigrating to the U.S., and with Reyna getting back and attempting to better understand those left behind in the poor community of Iguala, Guerrero.
I was most impressed by Grande's tenacity to be the first person in her family to graduate from college. She got a writing degree, but one that didn't teach her about the business side of being an author. At a later point in the story, she was, simultaneously, a new mother, a middle school teacher, working on a degree to teach adults, reading and writing and meeting weekly for a prized writing fellowship she had won, getting comfortable in a new but run-down house in South Central L.A., looking for an literary agent, and writing a novel. She says it best - 'How could I encourage my son to follow his dreams unless I followed my own? ... I was doing it for both of us.' The focus she shows is extraordinary, the urgency to overcome hardship after hardship, looking for things to get easier for all the opportunities she keeps presenting herself.
After some bad relationship decisions, she meets a man with a totally different background than herself - middle class, white and comfortable. But Cory is honest, calm, positive and takes things as they come. Grande acknowledges all the things she was able to accomplish, motivated to be better than all the depravity she grew up in. They each bring a lot to the table and attempt to create a home of their own. Turns out Cory is far from his upbringing too.
I only retract a star because I wanted more. The book felt like it had a word limit, felt a little too dense. But Grande is vulnerable and to the point. This is a personal story. Most bigger-picture views have to be constructed around it.
The author earns extra points for dropping the titles of some great books, for a humility that is only matched by her admiration in the healing power of the written word.
September 5, 2018
Yeah, well my friend Michaela won an ARC & naturally I read her copy once she'd finished it. She didn't tell me anything about her impressions, so I went into it free of preconceived notions. Having completed it, & now having read her review of the book, I am just going to refer you to her review as it pretty much mirrors my own thoughts. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 14, 2025
In her compelling first memoir The Distance Between Us, Mexican-American writer Reyna Grande wrote about her impoverished childhood in Iguala, Mexico, where her parents separated from each other and both left for better economic opportunities in the United States, with her father eventually returning to cross the US border as undocumented immigrants with Reyna and her two older siblings (a harrowing narrative similar to Javier Zamora's border crossing in Solito). The Distance Between Us ends as Reyna graduates high school and begins community college, determined to fulfill her father's hope for her to get an education as a key to a better life, while she's still grappling with the fallout and fractured relationships from her family's move to the US.
In her follow-up memoir, A Dream Called Home, Reyna writes about her transition to adulthood and the lessons that maturity and life experience teach her about her parents' upbringing and what may have motivated their hard choices that Reyna didn't understand as a kid. The memoir begins in the mid-1990s as Reyna transitions from community college to the University of California Santa Cruz, where she pursues a degree in creative writing and filmmaking and forges meaningful connections with other members of the Latinx community. Unable to find a work as a writer after college, Reyna instead becomes a middle school teacher, becomes a single mother after a brief relationship that doesn't last, and eventually through determination and grit finds her way back to writing, getting her first semi-autobiographical novel published in 2006 (Across a Hundred Mountains). Unfortunately, her family issues never get neatly resolved, though as Reyna becomes a mother herself, she's able to put her parents' lives in more context and understand why they made the decisions they did. Reyna makes several trips back to her hometown of Iguala and learns more about the cycle of violence against women and victims-turned-victimizers that have plagued generations of her family, including her parents. Though Reyna is able to break these negative cycles in her own life, she still struggles to cope with issues of identity and belonging (hence the book's title).
This is a fantastic memoir that I'd recommend both to people who've already read The Distance Between Us and those who haven't but are looking for powerful immigrant stories.
Further reading: immigrant and first generation memoirs
The Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony by Annabelle Tometich
Missed Translations: Meeting the Immigrant Parents Who Raised Me by Sopan Deb
All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung
Green World: A Tragicomic Memoir of Love & Shakespeare by Michelle Ephraim
Starry Field: A Memoir of Lost History by Margaret Juhae Lee
My statistics:
Book 16 for 2025
Book 1942 cumulatively
In her follow-up memoir, A Dream Called Home, Reyna writes about her transition to adulthood and the lessons that maturity and life experience teach her about her parents' upbringing and what may have motivated their hard choices that Reyna didn't understand as a kid. The memoir begins in the mid-1990s as Reyna transitions from community college to the University of California Santa Cruz, where she pursues a degree in creative writing and filmmaking and forges meaningful connections with other members of the Latinx community. Unable to find a work as a writer after college, Reyna instead becomes a middle school teacher, becomes a single mother after a brief relationship that doesn't last, and eventually through determination and grit finds her way back to writing, getting her first semi-autobiographical novel published in 2006 (Across a Hundred Mountains). Unfortunately, her family issues never get neatly resolved, though as Reyna becomes a mother herself, she's able to put her parents' lives in more context and understand why they made the decisions they did. Reyna makes several trips back to her hometown of Iguala and learns more about the cycle of violence against women and victims-turned-victimizers that have plagued generations of her family, including her parents. Though Reyna is able to break these negative cycles in her own life, she still struggles to cope with issues of identity and belonging (hence the book's title).
This is a fantastic memoir that I'd recommend both to people who've already read The Distance Between Us and those who haven't but are looking for powerful immigrant stories.
Further reading: immigrant and first generation memoirs
The Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony by Annabelle Tometich
Missed Translations: Meeting the Immigrant Parents Who Raised Me by Sopan Deb
All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung
Green World: A Tragicomic Memoir of Love & Shakespeare by Michelle Ephraim
Starry Field: A Memoir of Lost History by Margaret Juhae Lee
My statistics:
Book 16 for 2025
Book 1942 cumulatively
January 29, 2024
A Dream Called Home by Reyna Grande is about her life as an immigrant in America after crossing the border illegally from Mexico. It was interesting to read about various parts of Mexico and the culture. The book mainly focuses on the author's journey through adulthood.
I'm rating the book and how it was written, not the life of the author. The writing fell kind of flat for me. The story moved so fast with a lot of details and several points were told beforehand and killed any sort of suspense which could have been developed later. I wish a lot of the incidents in the book could have been explored in detail. It felt as though I was just skirting the surface most of the time. Details about her romantic life made little sense since the main focus was on the life of an immigrant. I also wish her relationships with her family were explored in depth. It would have made for a more interesting read.
Even though this was a good book about how to persevere even though the odds are against you and how being a first-generation graduate in a new country is difficult, the writing lets it down most of the time. However, such stories are very much necessary in today's world and have to be told.
I'm rating the book and how it was written, not the life of the author. The writing fell kind of flat for me. The story moved so fast with a lot of details and several points were told beforehand and killed any sort of suspense which could have been developed later. I wish a lot of the incidents in the book could have been explored in detail. It felt as though I was just skirting the surface most of the time. Details about her romantic life made little sense since the main focus was on the life of an immigrant. I also wish her relationships with her family were explored in depth. It would have made for a more interesting read.
Even though this was a good book about how to persevere even though the odds are against you and how being a first-generation graduate in a new country is difficult, the writing lets it down most of the time. However, such stories are very much necessary in today's world and have to be told.
February 15, 2022
Reyna Grande’s “A dream called home” is a book depicting her struggles as an immigrant trying to accomplish her American dream. For an immigrant, like myself, it would seem like a good read (haha) as it’s quite rare to find books depicting the difficulties immigrants face with their identities, families, and relationships in a new country. It would shed some light into an already lacking genre.
Yet, the book was terribly underwhelming. Mediocre at best, painfully annoying at its worst. I cannot say that I enjoyed reading the book at all. I was left disappointed with both the story and the writing style.
When a large part of the story focuses on Grande becoming an author, I would have expected a better written book. The pacing is off, she introduces characters and plot points that are never seen again (what happened to her cat?), and a lot of the time she tells instead of showing. I would have liked to see her explore her relationship with her siblings further than she did. They are mentioned when they are needed but never really brought up and fleshed out to be actual people instead of support beams when she needs them.
It did not grab my attention and I was never eager to turn the page. I found it quite a drag to read, wishing the entire time I were reading another book (TSH by Donna Tartt whose debut novel is leagues better than this book). The writing is poor, too simple for someone who is an ‘accomplished’ writer. I’m sure a high schooler could have done a far better job at writing a more interesting memoir.
The story itself is fine. Just fine. Nothing interesting or memorable apart from how insufferable I found Grande throughout the whole story. A big part of books in general is the author trying to get the reader to root for the main character, make them as likable as possible so that we cheer when they accomplish their dreams, cry when something goes wrong, seethe with anger when someone does them dirty. A likable protagonist compels one to keep reading. But with Grande? I wanted nothing more but for the book to be over.
She has a mix of a ‘hero complex’ and ‘victim mentality’ throughout the majority of the story. She uses her trauma with her father and family in general as an excuse for her actions. Oh no, my life seems to be falling apart and I’m in a terrible relationship with a man 14 years my senior who reminds me of my father. I know what will fix this, a child! This whole thing really grinded my gears, and I was, frankly, disgusted by her choice in that very moment. While it may be wrong for me to judge her actions and choices, she put that out there for everyone to read.
It’s very hard to feel bad for Reyna. She judges others for her actions yet excuses her own because she has trauma. When she meets Arturo and tries to get him to go to college like she does, she cannot comprehend that he doesn’t want to. Why doesn’t everyone want to do what she does? She puts down her siblings for dropping out of college, making herself out to almost be the golden child because she finished it in-spite of her family’s doubt.
The story gets sidetracked easily, chapters that shouldn’t really be in the book are there and feel like filler. I really didn’t care that her mom was having a yard sale at her house or that she taught a bunch of kids how to dance folklórico. Her love life (which I don’t care about either, it made me more irritated with each page) took center stage near the end of the book. Gone were the chapters we could have had of her bonding with her kid, replaced by her budding romance with a man in a relationship.
Gods. If I was annoyed by Reyna already, this was simply the cherry on top. She knew this man had a girlfriend and still chose to peruse him. If this had happened to her, she would have made a big deal about how sad and terrible her life was, wah nobody loves me. But because she’s the one falling in love it’s supposed to be all romantic. Which, it’s not. She could have chosen to be respectful of the relationship, kept her distance and let him figure it out in his own. Yet, Reyna’s consistently glued to his side, inviting him out here and there, cooking for him, introducing him to her parents??? (When she introduced him to her kid, she stated something along the lines of: If Cory is going to get to know me, he’s going to have to see my whole reality. Which, doesn’t happen when people are just friends.)
Lastly, as this review is already too long, I am furious at how she completely forgot her grandmother. As someone who was in a similar situation, where my grandma was my only maternal figure for awhile, I would never and will never in my life do her as dirty as Reyna did her Abuelita Chinta. How does someone forget the woman who raised them? Who was nothing but kind and loving and did everything they could despite their circumstances? She never sent her money, or called her (never mentioned in the story), or sent her anything of any sort to express her gratefulness.
I did not like this book. I will probably never read anything from Reyna Grande again, which is so disappointing. She had the potential to be another great Mexican author like those she looked up to. The immigrant experience and the struggles that come with it need to be showcased, talked about and explored more in literature. Reyna set out to do so and failed miserably. We deserve more than a badly written book.
Yet, the book was terribly underwhelming. Mediocre at best, painfully annoying at its worst. I cannot say that I enjoyed reading the book at all. I was left disappointed with both the story and the writing style.
When a large part of the story focuses on Grande becoming an author, I would have expected a better written book. The pacing is off, she introduces characters and plot points that are never seen again (what happened to her cat?), and a lot of the time she tells instead of showing. I would have liked to see her explore her relationship with her siblings further than she did. They are mentioned when they are needed but never really brought up and fleshed out to be actual people instead of support beams when she needs them.
It did not grab my attention and I was never eager to turn the page. I found it quite a drag to read, wishing the entire time I were reading another book (TSH by Donna Tartt whose debut novel is leagues better than this book). The writing is poor, too simple for someone who is an ‘accomplished’ writer. I’m sure a high schooler could have done a far better job at writing a more interesting memoir.
The story itself is fine. Just fine. Nothing interesting or memorable apart from how insufferable I found Grande throughout the whole story. A big part of books in general is the author trying to get the reader to root for the main character, make them as likable as possible so that we cheer when they accomplish their dreams, cry when something goes wrong, seethe with anger when someone does them dirty. A likable protagonist compels one to keep reading. But with Grande? I wanted nothing more but for the book to be over.
She has a mix of a ‘hero complex’ and ‘victim mentality’ throughout the majority of the story. She uses her trauma with her father and family in general as an excuse for her actions. Oh no, my life seems to be falling apart and I’m in a terrible relationship with a man 14 years my senior who reminds me of my father. I know what will fix this, a child! This whole thing really grinded my gears, and I was, frankly, disgusted by her choice in that very moment. While it may be wrong for me to judge her actions and choices, she put that out there for everyone to read.
It’s very hard to feel bad for Reyna. She judges others for her actions yet excuses her own because she has trauma. When she meets Arturo and tries to get him to go to college like she does, she cannot comprehend that he doesn’t want to. Why doesn’t everyone want to do what she does? She puts down her siblings for dropping out of college, making herself out to almost be the golden child because she finished it in-spite of her family’s doubt.
The story gets sidetracked easily, chapters that shouldn’t really be in the book are there and feel like filler. I really didn’t care that her mom was having a yard sale at her house or that she taught a bunch of kids how to dance folklórico. Her love life (which I don’t care about either, it made me more irritated with each page) took center stage near the end of the book. Gone were the chapters we could have had of her bonding with her kid, replaced by her budding romance with a man in a relationship.
Gods. If I was annoyed by Reyna already, this was simply the cherry on top. She knew this man had a girlfriend and still chose to peruse him. If this had happened to her, she would have made a big deal about how sad and terrible her life was, wah nobody loves me. But because she’s the one falling in love it’s supposed to be all romantic. Which, it’s not. She could have chosen to be respectful of the relationship, kept her distance and let him figure it out in his own. Yet, Reyna’s consistently glued to his side, inviting him out here and there, cooking for him, introducing him to her parents??? (When she introduced him to her kid, she stated something along the lines of: If Cory is going to get to know me, he’s going to have to see my whole reality. Which, doesn’t happen when people are just friends.)
Lastly, as this review is already too long, I am furious at how she completely forgot her grandmother. As someone who was in a similar situation, where my grandma was my only maternal figure for awhile, I would never and will never in my life do her as dirty as Reyna did her Abuelita Chinta. How does someone forget the woman who raised them? Who was nothing but kind and loving and did everything they could despite their circumstances? She never sent her money, or called her (never mentioned in the story), or sent her anything of any sort to express her gratefulness.
I did not like this book. I will probably never read anything from Reyna Grande again, which is so disappointing. She had the potential to be another great Mexican author like those she looked up to. The immigrant experience and the struggles that come with it need to be showcased, talked about and explored more in literature. Reyna set out to do so and failed miserably. We deserve more than a badly written book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2019
I enjoyed this memoir and would actually like to rate it a 3.5. Reyna Grande led an incredibly brave and purpose-filled life from the time her father carried her on his back across the border from Mexico until the day she not only graduated from college with a degree in writing, but also to the day she received her Master's degree in creative writing.
There were many obstacles in her path to becoming not only the first in her family to graduate college, but also the first to finish high school. With a strong determination to succeed, she overcame her basically shy personality and coped with the pain of being abandoned by her parents once they made it to the United States. Her quest was always to find a "home," both physically and metaphorically. Along the way, she was mentored by some wonderful female teachers who recognized her potential and talent. Grande went on to mentor others, including her teenage sister and other young latino student, working first as an ESL teacher in an elementary school and later, as an instructor to adults.
Grande's story kept me turning pages, even though, at times, I found the writing to be a bit cliché and lacking in color. Phrases like "it seemed like an eternity" and "stretched like a rubber band," were not quite what I had expected from a prize-winning author, but for me, her true-life story made up for these minor flaws. Her story (and others I have read lately) have opened my eyes to the extreme obstacles illegal immigrants, as well as legal immigrants, face when coming to America in pursuit of a better life than the crushing poverty they endured in their own homelands. And it helped me to realize that sometimes the journey is so arduous that these same immigrants lose the family they were hoping to unite with.
Grande's memoir is relevant on many levels as so many of us, in one way or another, share the dream of finding a home, a place in our own skin and in our own families where we feel we truly belong.
" A Dream Called Home" is a timely book for all who wish to better understand the plight of the immigrant in these times where our country is struggling with immigration issues and with the plight of children separated from their families.
January 24, 2019
A CAPTIVATING MEMOIR
“I had never owned a book until I turned nineteen and Diana gave me The Moths and Other Stories for my birthday.” (p. 252)
I have long admired and been fascinated by the grit needed to experience America as an immigrant. Reyna Grande, in her memoir, A Dream Called Home, tells that tale better than most; perhaps because she tells it from the viewpoint of a child.
I read Reyna’s first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains, in November, 2009; and I’ve been a fan of her storytelling ever since. Imagine a successful novelist/memoirist, successful writing in a language not her first, who “never owned a book until I turned nineteen.” (p.252) That takes grit.
Recommendation: This memoir should be required reading for creative writing students, and for all else who are interested in good storytelling.
“Now more than ever, I am determined to write, and encourage others to write, stories that celebrate the resilience and tenacity of the millions of immigrants in the U.S. who fight every day for their dreams, for their right to remain, for their stories to matter.” (p. 324)
Atria Books. Kindle Edition, 328 pages
“I had never owned a book until I turned nineteen and Diana gave me The Moths and Other Stories for my birthday.” (p. 252)
I have long admired and been fascinated by the grit needed to experience America as an immigrant. Reyna Grande, in her memoir, A Dream Called Home, tells that tale better than most; perhaps because she tells it from the viewpoint of a child.
I read Reyna’s first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains, in November, 2009; and I’ve been a fan of her storytelling ever since. Imagine a successful novelist/memoirist, successful writing in a language not her first, who “never owned a book until I turned nineteen.” (p.252) That takes grit.
Recommendation: This memoir should be required reading for creative writing students, and for all else who are interested in good storytelling.
“Now more than ever, I am determined to write, and encourage others to write, stories that celebrate the resilience and tenacity of the millions of immigrants in the U.S. who fight every day for their dreams, for their right to remain, for their stories to matter.” (p. 324)
Atria Books. Kindle Edition, 328 pages
October 27, 2021
3.5 stars. The book opens with the author about to begin college in California. It's quite a distance from her hometown in Mexico, which she left as a young poor girl, illegally entering the United States. The author has many challenges, self-made and external. We follow her as she makes mistakes, learns, and grows. I enjoyed the story very much, however, there were errors and cliches and parts that could have been left out (IMO) - and in time this author's work will shine brightly.
August 12, 2020
A wonderful story. This was a required reading for one of my classes, and I'm so glad to have been exposed to Reyna Grande. As a latina, I don't expose myself to nearly enough latinx literature. Her story is inspiring and I highly recommend.
April 11, 2025
i read to read this for english and i love it!
December 11, 2024
After I finished this book I rated it four stars, but the more I think about it the more I have to admit that it was only a three-star read for me. I guess I felt pressured to rate it higher than that. I do believe that now more than ever it's important to humanize immigrants and hear their stories, including those who crossed the southern border illegally, as Reyna Grande did as a child with her father.
I think her previous memoir, The Distance Between Us, did that better than this one did, although it was inspiring to read how she accomplished her goals and realized her dreams despite obstacles most of us can't imagine.
She does a good job of portraying the catch 22 of parents leaving their children behind to go to America intending to send money home and eventually come back for them. Grande wouldn't have had the opportunity to reach her dreams if she hadn't finally been able to join her father in America. But she and her siblings paid the price of being left in extreme poverty with a cruel abusive grandmother for years, wondering if they would ever see their parents again. After her father returned to Mexico and brought her and her siblings across the border with him, they found that he was alcoholic and abusive. She'll probably never fully recover from all that trauma.
But she spends too much of the book on the issue of having an absent father and blaming it for one bad decision after another, especially being drawn to and sleeping with men who reminded her of him. That part of her experience is a common story, although hers seemed even creepier than most and wasn't unique to her or to her immigration experience. But then to decide that she needed a baby and intentionally get pregnant by a scumbag boyfriend, counting on him to be an absent father so she can have the child all to herself?! And later to publish that little detail for all the world, including her son, to read?!
Most of her memoir is about her dream of becoming a writer and how she became a successful award-winning author. I hate to say that I have not been impressed with the writing in either of her books I've read, which is surprising and disappointing, but maybe I'm missing something. I should probably try reading one of her novels. Maybe that's where she shines.
I think her previous memoir, The Distance Between Us, did that better than this one did, although it was inspiring to read how she accomplished her goals and realized her dreams despite obstacles most of us can't imagine.
She does a good job of portraying the catch 22 of parents leaving their children behind to go to America intending to send money home and eventually come back for them. Grande wouldn't have had the opportunity to reach her dreams if she hadn't finally been able to join her father in America. But she and her siblings paid the price of being left in extreme poverty with a cruel abusive grandmother for years, wondering if they would ever see their parents again. After her father returned to Mexico and brought her and her siblings across the border with him, they found that he was alcoholic and abusive. She'll probably never fully recover from all that trauma.
But she spends too much of the book on the issue of having an absent father and blaming it for one bad decision after another, especially being drawn to and sleeping with men who reminded her of him. That part of her experience is a common story, although hers seemed even creepier than most and wasn't unique to her or to her immigration experience. But then to decide that she needed a baby and intentionally get pregnant by a scumbag boyfriend, counting on him to be an absent father so she can have the child all to herself?! And later to publish that little detail for all the world, including her son, to read?!
Most of her memoir is about her dream of becoming a writer and how she became a successful award-winning author. I hate to say that I have not been impressed with the writing in either of her books I've read, which is surprising and disappointing, but maybe I'm missing something. I should probably try reading one of her novels. Maybe that's where she shines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2025
I cried several times reading Reynas' journey to being a successful author. there are other books she's written that are now on my TBR list. I'm so proud of her and grateful she's written these books. Highly recommend!
Read
November 1, 2018This memoir follows Grande through her young adulthood, as she attends college away from Los Angeles and begins to find her way through adulthood. It's a moving memoir about being Latina and an immigrant and the ups and downs that come with the pride and challenges of being the first in her family to graduate from college. Grande talks about the relationships that came together and those that failed in her family, which continues the story she began in THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US. While stand alone, knowing Grande's story from the previous memoir will make this one land a bit harder.
Yareli Arizmendi performed the audiobook, and her voice and way of capturing Reyna's storytelling skills were fantastic and kept me absorbed.
Yareli Arizmendi performed the audiobook, and her voice and way of capturing Reyna's storytelling skills were fantastic and kept me absorbed.
September 24, 2018
A DREAM CALLED HOME by Reyna Grande is the compelling sequel to her beautifully-written memoir, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US. The first book was riveting and I could not wait to read the sequel. A DREAM CALLED HOME picks up where Grande left off in THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US and focuses more on her adult life in the United States as she attends college, works tirelessly toward becoming a published writer and ultimately marries and has children. With the same candor and insight of the first book, the reader comes to understand the considerable challenges Ms. Grande faces and overcomes to achieve her dreams. I was again drawn completely into her story and found myself wanting to hear even more. This was a powerful and inspiring sequel with many important messages about the immigrant experience in the United States. I highly recommend it! I am happy to have won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
July 28, 2021
Disclaimer #1: when I rate two stars, I mean it in the "it was ok" goodreads sense.
Disclaimer #2: when I rate a memoir, I’m not rating the person or the person’s choices. I’m only rating the book itself: what was written and how good the writing was. It looks like many, many other reviewers of memoirs and this book are rating the author and her life, whether her life was “a good story.” I don’t do that.
So as I was reading this book, I was quite frankly surprised at how mediocre the writing was, especially since so much of the book is about the author as a writer. I have no idea how her writing is in her novels or when/if she writes in Spanish; maybe it’s just totally amazing. There were two mega issues with the writing in this book for me a) there was way too much “telling” rather than “showing,” and b) there were so many points where the author destroyed forward momentum by telling you what was going to happen later, removing any and all suspense that might have naturally built up.
For a), I'm kind of surprised there aren't more comments on the writing style... To explain what I mean, this advice is often given to writers: “show, don’t tell,” which you can google if you’re not familiar. Just as an example: “I was furious” would be telling, whereas “I could feel my heart pounding as I clenched my shaking hands into fists…” is more showing. I guess it’s rare for me to read a book where the prose is so much telling that I even notice it, but it feels so awkward and lifeless and dry to read those types of sentences on page after page of this book. Here are some examples from the book:
“I was genuinely surprised.”
“I was suddenly filled with dread.”
“I knew she didn’t really want to come.”
"I was elated and proud..."
"...I was angry and disappointed...
The whole book felt like that, kind of boring but functional sentences that were delivering information but not actually painting a picture or evoking feelings.
Sometimes the author would mix showing and telling and I wished an editor had been a little more ruthless, like here:
“My mother was on the verge of tears the entire time. I could see her eyes swollen and red…”
Cut out the first cliched sentence and develop the second so we as readers are like experiencing seeing an upset mother. There are places where the writing picks up or is more interesting, but generally this kind of writing makes for a very dull read for me.
For b), this I think was an attempt to maintain suspense, but it did the opposite. Every time she gave something away I felt like, ok I know everything's going to be fine, so why should I even keep reading? Some examples:
etc. etc.
Honestly I could flip through this book and find some sentence or passage or something that bugs me on most pages. So while the author's story is interesting, the writing just made the whole book so....meh.
Disclaimer #2: when I rate a memoir, I’m not rating the person or the person’s choices. I’m only rating the book itself: what was written and how good the writing was. It looks like many, many other reviewers of memoirs and this book are rating the author and her life, whether her life was “a good story.” I don’t do that.
So as I was reading this book, I was quite frankly surprised at how mediocre the writing was, especially since so much of the book is about the author as a writer. I have no idea how her writing is in her novels or when/if she writes in Spanish; maybe it’s just totally amazing. There were two mega issues with the writing in this book for me a) there was way too much “telling” rather than “showing,” and b) there were so many points where the author destroyed forward momentum by telling you what was going to happen later, removing any and all suspense that might have naturally built up.
For a), I'm kind of surprised there aren't more comments on the writing style... To explain what I mean, this advice is often given to writers: “show, don’t tell,” which you can google if you’re not familiar. Just as an example: “I was furious” would be telling, whereas “I could feel my heart pounding as I clenched my shaking hands into fists…” is more showing. I guess it’s rare for me to read a book where the prose is so much telling that I even notice it, but it feels so awkward and lifeless and dry to read those types of sentences on page after page of this book. Here are some examples from the book:
“I was genuinely surprised.”
“I was suddenly filled with dread.”
“I knew she didn’t really want to come.”
"I was elated and proud..."
"...I was angry and disappointed...
The whole book felt like that, kind of boring but functional sentences that were delivering information but not actually painting a picture or evoking feelings.
Sometimes the author would mix showing and telling and I wished an editor had been a little more ruthless, like here:
“My mother was on the verge of tears the entire time. I could see her eyes swollen and red…”
Cut out the first cliched sentence and develop the second so we as readers are like experiencing seeing an upset mother. There are places where the writing picks up or is more interesting, but generally this kind of writing makes for a very dull read for me.
For b), this I think was an attempt to maintain suspense, but it did the opposite. Every time she gave something away I felt like, ok I know everything's going to be fine, so why should I even keep reading? Some examples:
etc. etc.
Honestly I could flip through this book and find some sentence or passage or something that bugs me on most pages. So while the author's story is interesting, the writing just made the whole book so....meh.
February 26, 2020
“Of the books I’ve read about the immigration experience, not one has been written by an immigrant herself, as if we were voiceless,” I said. “As an immigrant, I have a voice and I want to be heard. This is what Emerging Voices stands for, isn’t it? To give aspiring writers a chance to be heard and open the door for us to tell our own stories? Immigrants deserve a place in American literature because our experiences in the U.S. reflect the American experience,” I continued, “If you accept me in the program, this is what I will fight for-inclusion and diversity.”
This Reyna Grande title was available at my favorite bookstore when I bought it in conjunction with "American Dirt" to read & prepare for the Gaithersburg Book Festival's "Gaithersburg Reads" event on March 31. It is the non fiction account of what it means to be the first in your immigrant family to attend college, what it means to obtain an education when it has been unattainable previously, what it means to obtain US citizenship, what it means to neither feel comfortable in your place of birth or your place of residence, and - for me - what it means to have grown up in a privileged world. It is truly humbling. What Reyna has achieved with sheer determination and dreams is remarkable. I am truly looking forward to hearing her speak.
"A Dream Called Home: A Memoir" begins with Reyna being accepted to and attending college in California - her early adult years. I am eager to read her award winning "The Distance Between Us" about her childhood next.
This Reyna Grande title was available at my favorite bookstore when I bought it in conjunction with "American Dirt" to read & prepare for the Gaithersburg Book Festival's "Gaithersburg Reads" event on March 31. It is the non fiction account of what it means to be the first in your immigrant family to attend college, what it means to obtain an education when it has been unattainable previously, what it means to obtain US citizenship, what it means to neither feel comfortable in your place of birth or your place of residence, and - for me - what it means to have grown up in a privileged world. It is truly humbling. What Reyna has achieved with sheer determination and dreams is remarkable. I am truly looking forward to hearing her speak.
"A Dream Called Home: A Memoir" begins with Reyna being accepted to and attending college in California - her early adult years. I am eager to read her award winning "The Distance Between Us" about her childhood next.
June 22, 2018
I won an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway, this did not influence my review.
I had previously read and loved Grande's childhood memoir, The Distance Between Us, and I was intrigued to read about Grande's adult life. It was a bit disorienting at first trying to connect the dots between the two books as I read her first four years ago. Grande remains a gifted writer and it was satisfying to read about her many successes after all she endured. Yet this book dwells a bit too long on quotidian college life, dating, part-time jobs, and other aspects of her life. I felt a lot of the book, especially the beginning, could have been condensed or edited down to essays that touched upon the major milestone's in Grande's life. The second half of the book is more compelling as she covers her transition into independent adulthood. Overall, since the book covers only about ten years of Grande's life, I felt there was too much detail. It was an interesting read though not nearly as riveting as her first memoir.
I had previously read and loved Grande's childhood memoir, The Distance Between Us, and I was intrigued to read about Grande's adult life. It was a bit disorienting at first trying to connect the dots between the two books as I read her first four years ago. Grande remains a gifted writer and it was satisfying to read about her many successes after all she endured. Yet this book dwells a bit too long on quotidian college life, dating, part-time jobs, and other aspects of her life. I felt a lot of the book, especially the beginning, could have been condensed or edited down to essays that touched upon the major milestone's in Grande's life. The second half of the book is more compelling as she covers her transition into independent adulthood. Overall, since the book covers only about ten years of Grande's life, I felt there was too much detail. It was an interesting read though not nearly as riveting as her first memoir.
August 4, 2020
A clear, thoughtful, heartfelt memoir. Like other immigrants, Reyna struggles to straddle two cultures—both to honor and to escape the world of her parents. What makes this memoir special is the character and integrity of Reyna herself, shining through on every page. She suffers abuse and injustice, but never scores easy points. Instead, she seeks to understand.
As the most successful one in her family, she has to accept that sometimes her parents and sisters don’t want her help. Her earnest enthusiasm—she’s the ever-puffing steam engine of her family's upward mobility—makes for gentle humor. For example, her mom doesn’t want to practice English; she mainly just wants to use Reyna’s yard for rummage sales.
For Reyna, the hardest thing is learning to put herself first, to focus on her own goals as an individual. She struggles to transform herself from a troubled first-year student, too shy to accept half a sandwich from her roommate, into a confident adult at peace with her dual identity.
As the most successful one in her family, she has to accept that sometimes her parents and sisters don’t want her help. Her earnest enthusiasm—she’s the ever-puffing steam engine of her family's upward mobility—makes for gentle humor. For example, her mom doesn’t want to practice English; she mainly just wants to use Reyna’s yard for rummage sales.
For Reyna, the hardest thing is learning to put herself first, to focus on her own goals as an individual. She struggles to transform herself from a troubled first-year student, too shy to accept half a sandwich from her roommate, into a confident adult at peace with her dual identity.
February 14, 2020
Wow, I loved this memoir so much. With all the controversy surrounding American Dirt, there have been so many own voices recommendations made all over bookstagram, I'm so glad I listened to this recommendation because I love this book. I cried a few times while reading, and then added Reyna Grande's other books to my TBR.
May 22, 2020
Beautiful, inspiring sequel to The Distance Between Us. Grande is a woman of incredible strength, resilience, courage and talent. Her story & writing are magnificent. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the immigration experience.
May 26, 2022
Didn't hate it, but also didn't like it. The writing style was just flat and left me wanting it to be over sooner rather than later.
June 19, 2020
Reyna Grande describes the experience of being a poor immigrant from Mexico like a dying bird in a pair of cupped hands. You can't change the bird's fate, but you can feel the bird's pain and want to shield it from harm. Reyna writes of her experiences with the realization that she will always be that poor Mexican girl who felt different in 'el otro lado,' but her journey to find her success, her husband, and her children, will shield her from ever going back to her difficult beginnings. Reyna has the ability to bring the reader into her life so that, hopefully, a new understanding is gained by acknowledging that all of our diverse experiences make us who we are, and that none of us follow a straight, predictable path to our futures. She doesn't hit you over the head with her pain and sorrow, but like the dying bird, you want to cheer Reyna on.
This is the third book I have read of Reyna's. My teaching career blessed me with immersing myself into the Mexican community, which led me to my fate as well. So, I have been very interested in her transitions that relate very closely to my students' life experiences. Unlike her first two books about the journey of moving from Mexico to the U.S. with an unrealistic view of the reality of immigration, this book chronicles Reyna's path in the U.S. to adjust her expectations and make them work successfully for her. I've liked them all for very different reasons. Maybe this book isn't as magically written because it's a straightforward memoir. I recommend reading Reyna's earlier works, so that this book makes more sense to her complete unfolding as a relevant author, teacher and speaker, and all the hard work that entailed, especially for an immigrant. We are living in a time when all Americans need to educate themselves to the various cultures that make up our diverse society. Because as sure as I am typing, those cultures will continue to edify the American landscape, in all its beautiful colors.
This is the third book I have read of Reyna's. My teaching career blessed me with immersing myself into the Mexican community, which led me to my fate as well. So, I have been very interested in her transitions that relate very closely to my students' life experiences. Unlike her first two books about the journey of moving from Mexico to the U.S. with an unrealistic view of the reality of immigration, this book chronicles Reyna's path in the U.S. to adjust her expectations and make them work successfully for her. I've liked them all for very different reasons. Maybe this book isn't as magically written because it's a straightforward memoir. I recommend reading Reyna's earlier works, so that this book makes more sense to her complete unfolding as a relevant author, teacher and speaker, and all the hard work that entailed, especially for an immigrant. We are living in a time when all Americans need to educate themselves to the various cultures that make up our diverse society. Because as sure as I am typing, those cultures will continue to edify the American landscape, in all its beautiful colors.
January 4, 2021
This follow-up to Reyna Grande's memoir THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US is just as good, if not better than that book. Picking up in Reyna's early adult years as she heads to University of California Santa Cruz to pursue a creative writing degree, this book covers Reyna's adult years. She explores how her relationships with her siblings and parents evolved, how her perceptions changed as her understanding of her parents' choices deepened, and what it took for her to follow her dreams. Throughout the book, Grande writes beautifully, with great honesty and introspection. I find that many memoirists tend to paint themselves with a rose-coloured brush to make themselves appear perfect, or try to justify bad decisions or behaviour. This is not at all the case here. If anything, Grande is a little too hard on herself in my opinion, and she has an enormous capacity for compassion, forgiveness and empathy.
I liked especially how dreams and what it takes to achieve them were at the center of this book. It stuck with me that Grande realized she had to do what it took to pursue her own dreams in order to have credibility with her son when she encouraged him to chase his.
All in all, this was just a fabulous book that I didn't want to put down. I enjoyed Grande's first memoir so much that I was reluctant to pick up the "sequel," fearing that it would not be as good. I ended up loving this book just as much, if not more. Despite reading THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US almost a year ago now, I was able to become immersed in A DREAM CALLED HOME from the beginning. I would definitely recommend reading both books, but it isn't necessary to read them back-to-back. This is a wonderful, engrossing read that I did not want to end, but also could not stop reading.
I liked especially how dreams and what it takes to achieve them were at the center of this book. It stuck with me that Grande realized she had to do what it took to pursue her own dreams in order to have credibility with her son when she encouraged him to chase his.
All in all, this was just a fabulous book that I didn't want to put down. I enjoyed Grande's first memoir so much that I was reluctant to pick up the "sequel," fearing that it would not be as good. I ended up loving this book just as much, if not more. Despite reading THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US almost a year ago now, I was able to become immersed in A DREAM CALLED HOME from the beginning. I would definitely recommend reading both books, but it isn't necessary to read them back-to-back. This is a wonderful, engrossing read that I did not want to end, but also could not stop reading.
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