Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail

by Rubén Martínez

A moving account of a family's odyssey by "one of the brightest voices of a new generation of Hispanic writers" ( Washington Post )

The U.S.-Mexican border is one of the most permeable boundaries in the world, breached daily by Mexicans in search of work. Yet the migrant gambit is perilous. Thousands die crossing the line and those who reach "the other side" are branded illegals, undocumented and unprotected.

In Crossing Over , Ruben Martinez puts a human face on the phenomenon, following the exodus of the Chávez clan, an extended Mexican family with the grim distinction of having lost three sons in a tragic border incident. He charts the migrants' progress from their small south-Mexican town of Cherán through the harrowing underground railroad to the tomato farms of Missouri, the strawberry fields of California, and the slaughterhouses of Wisconsin. He reveals the effects of immigration on the family left behind and offers a powerful portrait of migrant culture, an exchange that deposits hip hop in Indian villages while bringing Mexican pop to the northern plains. Far from joining the melting pot, Martinez argues, the migrants--as many as seven million in the U.S.--are spawning a new culture that will alter both countries as Latin America and the U.S. come increasingly to resemble each other.

Intimate, compelling, written with passion and engagement, Crossing Over tells the epic story of a family, a town, a world in motion.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Sociology, Immigration, Latinx, Social Justice, Politics

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Rubén Martínez, an Emmy-winning journalist and poet, is the author of Crossing Over, Desert America and The New Americans. He lives in Los Angeles, where he holds the Fletcher Jones Chair in Literature and Writing at Loyola Marymount University.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/rubenm...

Reviews

[Sarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I immediately hit it off with this guy. I can relate to his experience in many ways. Identifying oneself as Mexican-American is tricky (as I'm sure is true for most second-& third- generation immigrants), with complexities of culture, privilege & lack of it, class all weaving themselves in to inform where you now stand & how others perceive you. Little bits of his story, like the men singing "Volver, Volver" at a bar hit home for me, as that is the song of Mexicans who have lost their home & yearn to return, the drunken cry & beautiful refrain of so many nights my family has spent together, getting lost in their own stories & loss- of culture, home, stability. This book is about Martinez as he follows the immigrant trail through various places in Mexico clear to the United States. It's a potent take on the whole immigrant identity thing, as Martinez is a second-generation immigrant, a United States citizen, & so does not have to go through the harrowing & dangerous journeys guided by unsympathetic coyotes & his own sense of adventure & dedication to his journalism. The places are all familiar to me, in look & feel & sameness of character to my own family, & so I loved this book. The story is important, the words are very readable, connected, not detached like they could be when you're mostly telling someone else's story.

I loved this book.

[Lexxie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes brings you on both sides of the border, painting incredibly real and detailed portraits of the people who cross it. Most importantly, it provides the opportunity to see the crossing from their perspective, and brings you to feel the pain and sacrifice of their journey. This is a story most Americans could relate to looking back to their own family's migration, so long as they aren't as unintelligent as Donald Trump and his small-minded, low-I.Q. supporters.

[Dave]

As much as I am a fan of literary exposition to "paint a picture", if you will, there is a certain point that it can be considered overkill, perhaps even just rambling.

The underlying story here involves a horrific vehicle accident in California in the 1990s where several undocumented migrant workers were killed. Martinez focuses most of his energy on one particular family, and spends time in various places that the Chavez family lived and worked in, interviewing friends, family, and employers.

This book, although highly informative (and at times opinionated, although nowhere near as stomach-churning as Earl Shorris was in "Latinos"), involves quite a bit of rambling and what amounts to a good amount of "filler".

That being said, however, I did enjoy this read overall and would read more from Mr Martinez. As one more window into the thinking of migrant workers, it's worth a read. Even though it's nearly fifteen years old (published in 2001 originally), it's still quite relevant as one looks into the ongoing immigration debate.

[Thing Two · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written non-fiction book about the Chavez family from Cheran in southern Mexico and how they are drawn back and force across the border with the US. When Martinez published this, he was a journalist working from California who set off to do a story about three Chavez brothers who died in a traffic accident outside of San Diego. What he gives us is a story of life in the twentieth century post the Simpson-Mazzoli Act of 1986 for Mexican citizens who come into the United States to farm tobacco, butcher cattle, and generally help small businesses survive by doing jobs either thought too dangerous, too tedious, or too low-paying for the American worker. This is very readable, and dispelled numerous "truths" I'd grown to believe.

[Robin Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

At a time when our relationship to Latin America has become a toxic element in our politics, this remains a must-read book. Martínez is a beautiful writer and gets into the details of how people have come back and forth across the border for centuries. He also uncovers the hypocrisy of depending on migrant labor while at the same time posturing about "the Wall." There will never be a Wall; and there seems to be no hope of a sane and humane immigration reform. The sad truth of our times is that desperate people are on the move all over the globe. Until we can do the hard, meticulous work of economic reform, investment in women and children and promoting peace, more and more families will have to risk their lives to survive.

[Jason Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruben Martinez is a very talented person. He has the ability to establish relationships, build rapports, keenly observe his surroundings, research what applies to his observations, and write everything he gathers in a comprehensive way to keep his readers interest in his publications. All of this shows in this great book on immigration life.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most personal, in-depth look at the illegal immigration issue I've ever read. Throughout the book, Ruben Martinez follows members of the Chavez family from their home in Cheran, Mexico, across the border to the United States. Along the way, he takes time to describe the state of rural Mexican towns, the techniques and secrets to getting safely across the US border, and the wide variety of characters the Chavez family encounters on the way.
What surprised me most about this book was learning that the migrants who make it across the border don't just stay in the US. They actually move back and forth across the border, often dividing their time between two homes - one in America, and one in Mexico. That fact just struck me as amazing: they risk their lives getting across the border not once, but many times over.
One can hardly call Martinez a neutral third-party observer. He clearly has a lot more sympathy for the migrants than he does for the Border Patrol, so a fair warning: if you're one of those people who favors building a Great Wall of America across the Southern border, just skip this book, because Martinez's obvious immigrant bias will do nothing except piss you off. Use the time that would have otherwise been spent writing angry letters to Martinez, and go for a jog or something instead.

Read for: Surviving the American Dream

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and it's a "keeper". Historical and current stories about Mexican immigrant families and their trek to the US.

[CTEP]

Crossing Over by Ruben Martinez is a relevant, engrossing, and eye-opening book about a journalist who gets to know a town in Mexico and then follows the people he has met in their journeys across the border to the United States. Martinez is a very transparent and descriptive journalists who doesn’t hide behind a façade of neutrality and isn’t afraid to explore the complexities of the relationships along the way. This book was especially powerful for me because it contextualized the migrant experience starting in Mexico. The people who I work with at Casa de Esperanza I will only know in the U.S. context. Martinez illustrates how events and expectations in Mexico have led to patterns of migration and change. He starts with the economic collapse of the Mexican economy in 1994 that occurred while the U.S. economy was experiencing one of the most pronounced booms in it’s history. But most of the book isn’t historical but narrative. Perhaps the most illustrative were the author’s descriptions that sharply juxtapose life in Mexico with life in the U.S. The social standing and entitlement Martinez describes for Mexican immigrants at home is sharply contrasted with the discrimination, low pay, and marginalization migrants experience in the U.S. The contrast brought to life the political relationships between the two countries by describing how citizens in a “developing country” become second-class citizens when they arrive in a “developed country.” The other thing that I found interesting and almost surprising was how significant the “American Dream” in this border-crossing narrative. I often dismiss the American Dream because I am critical of the consumerism and what I believe to be a myth of social mobility on which it is built. However in this book the American Dream of owning a house, being able to support your family and live well gained a new meaning. Martinez also illustrated how different gender roles in the U.S. have influenced Mexican women immigrants who find more freedom to work, wear pants, and gain control over their lives. I gained respect for the power of American cultural practices to influence people even as our cultural values are influenced by Mexican and other Latin American values. I highly recommend this book. It doesn’t have solutions to how we provide a dignified living to everyone on both sides of the border but it makes the challenge human.

[Lensa Gudeta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely helpful book because it gives Americans an up close look at the unique struggles Mexican migrants endure. That includes economic, racial and gender issues that make it difficult for them to assimilate. Especially for healthcare professionals, it's far too easy to overlook these differences unless we read about them firsthand.

[Robert Stout · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent chronicle that details life in the Mexican state of Michoacan, the uncertainties of earning a living, of deciding to emigrate, of the achievements and tragedies that accompany undocumented migration. I read the Spanish version, a very well done translation by Gabriela Rothschild Plaut.

[Sheela Word · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written, gripping analysis of cross-border migration from a variety of angles, with emphasis on how individual families are affected. The author gets up close and personal without losing sight of the big picture.

[LINDA MEYERS · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good alternative to tell the story...

The author told his story from an intimate viewpoint which was wonderful for those of us wanting to see from the other side and why it is so compelling to cross the line into America. Details were great.

[Breanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Martínez writes in a way that reads more like a novel than a nonfiction text. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and learning the stories of the Chávezes and other Chéran families and their experiences working and living in the U.S.

[Cal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely well written. Full of interesting stories about identity, culture and hardship.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected more than the writer's documentary.

[NCHS Library]

From Follett:
Chronicles the experiences of one Mexican family which attempted to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

[My Weiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book and it talks about life in Mexico and how we view them, I really like the story. Sadly I just don't like the genre.

[Jerry]

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[Lea Whittenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! Read it for a class & skipped a few parts, including chapter 5. But I really enjoyed understanding the migrant experience from an almost-insider perspective, and I also loved the author’s style of writing. So good! Definitely recommend, especially if you are interested in learning about the immigrant/migrant experience as well as Mexican & Mexican-American culture.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to really discipline myself to finish this book and that's due to the fact that it was overdue from the library and I have this silly thing where I have to finish books once I start them. Based on that it was a super slog to read.
I am not sure what it was for me as the story of the migrants from Mexico to the US is an important one to be told and for people to understand. Maybe it was the writing that didn't bring the book to life or there were to many dragged out stories or details, I don't know. I just know it didn't appeal to me. It was almost written with no soul or emotion like it was flat and there was very little I could grasp onto to hold some emotion. The exciting part was the first chapter or 2 in the second half of the book and I though finally, as he was writing about the kids who lived in the tunnels. After those chapters it fell flat again.
For others this book may hold a lot of appeal but for me I would have preferred a continuous story and not something that jumped back and forth and definitely with more emotion to it. I just could feel it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. It tells the sad but real story about all immigrants who want a better life

[Gus Escobosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Chicano author Ruben Martinez, explained the lifestyle of the Purepecha in the city of Cherán, Michoacan, Mexico. He explains their lifestyle from both their homeland, and their new home. Martinez did a good job explaining the lifestyle of Mexican immigrants from Michoacan, and even all over the country, and he showed how painful, hard, and challenging their lives were after crossing the border. He also explains the tradition, ways of living, and the origins of the Purepecha. This book also explained really well the lives of the Chavez brothers, and how they were hiding in a truck going to beautiful sunny California, and then crashed and met with death itself. The themes of this book (the author's intended message) are that people should not be trusted, even if they are nice, rich or anything positive, there is always a chance that they will turn out to be in the unexpected side (this relates to when the coyotes, the people who hide immigrants and the "help them" get to the U.S.). One of the other themes is that as humans, we do not deserve to be killed or tortured for an excusable reason (even though immigrants cross the border knowing that there are dangers like the coyotes or the BP, they do not have the right to kill them, they can take them back to their homeland, but they are not allowed to kill them, torture them, steal from them and even abuse them).

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martinez has written one of the best, most humane accounts of illegal immigration from Mexico into the United States. I especially appreciated how this book is laid out. In the first half, he describes his experiences visiting a small provincial Mexican town. The people there are poor, and the economy is almost entirely driven by work performed in the United States. American inner city culture has returned to this small town with migrants, who come back whenever they can. There are tensions there between those who have found success on their voyages north and those who remain very poor.

In the second half of the book, Martinez visits many of the families from this small Mexican town at their US residences. He describes the trouble they have finding a place in communities that aren't very welcoming. It is interesting that many families who exist near the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder in the United States are considered wealthy when they return to their communities of origin.

In all, this is a fantastic book. It certainly doesn't tell the whole story of migration between Mexico and the United States, but it tells an important part.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A searing, heartfelt account of the struggles of immigrants from a small town in Michoacan, Mexico who travel thousands of miles and brave countless dangers to earn their living in America. An important book because it gives a voice to those frequently lampooned and attacked in the press and in the presidential debates--the illegal immigrant--who serves as the backbone to our country in many ways. Martinez's perspective is strong; he's criss-crossing the country with the migrants, often times running into them in strange locales. The section on Nogales, Arizona border was particularly hard to read; I've been there, and to think of the intricate tunnel systems underneath, with packs of homeless youths....

I wonder how Martinez would update his book for 2007, in the post-9-11 era. How has the border in these places changed? Has the intense political discussion in America trickled down to these poor villages in Mexico?

[Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the author wrote this book to show how people from Mexico feel and see when they come from Mexico to the United States. The part of the book that catches my intention was when the people from Mexico come over here and see how the United States is different. When I was reading the book I could see how the people from Mexico felt and saw how hard it is to come to the United States. My favorite line from the book is I am close to the line. The mostly invisible line that stretches two thousand miles along sand, yellow dirt dotted with scrub brush, and the muddy waters of the Rio Grande. I would recommend this book to people who want to understand what it feels like to come to and new country.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro maravilloso, interesante, y conmovedor. El acontecimiento que precipita la historia es la muerte trágica de tres inmigrantes méxicanos en camino a los Estados Unidos, pero el libro va más allá de este evento para presentar varias historias de inmigración. Martínez viajó a various lugares y presenta historias de éxito y fracaso, vida y muerte, esperanza y desesperación. El mensaje implícito es que estos inmigrantes no son “ilegales,“ son personas con sueños y familias, problemas y éxitos. Ellos merecen respeto y admiración y los reciben en este libro.
(Otro punto de interés: Eschuché el audiolibro, narrado por Dario Tangelson, disponible en audible.com. Es un lector muy bueno y recomiendo su versión.)

[Rick Skwiot · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the effect of Mexican immigration on the U.S. has been extensively analyzed and debated, most Americans are ignorant about its effect on Mexican families and towns. Ruben Martinez embedded himself with a Mexican family and a Michoacán village to chronicle the way Mexican migration to the U.S. has impacted both countries and both peoples. A highly recommended study of clashing--and comingling--cultures.

[Jenaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It hit home for me and it reminded me of my journey from Mexico to Los Angeles when I was 8. The prejudices that occur on both sides of the border once you leave your home town are clear in this book and real. I highly recommend it to anyone who has left their home town.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for class, and I found it really well written and interesting, because it examines Mexican migrant workers from the vantage point of a small, poor town in Mexico. I know a lot about Mexican-American immigration from the US side, but I had never really learned much about what they were leaving/going back to in Mexico before I read this book.