American Dirt in Around the World in 80 Books

Oct 31, 2020 Lisa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-adults

I loved this one. I realize it is controversial, and I understand the reasons why. That being said, I found it a compelling story, that can do nothing but help increase people's empathy for people going through this horrible situation. A little more empathy in the world, would be a good thing. I didn't want to put this one down. I was immersed in the story and the characters. ...more

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Jul 24, 2020 Tammy AZ rated it it was amazing

All the hand wringing over this author writing this book has done a great disservice to the author and to the very important story about immigrants. Cummins put a face on some of the people who risk everything to get to the US and I'd much rather read an account by someone not deemed appropriate than to not have read this story at all. After all, it's not like Latin American immigrant fiction is plastered all over our best seller lists.

The characters in American Dirt were so real and their situa ...more

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Feb 15, 2020 Kat rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020

What a moving story! It will stay with me for a long time. Yes, people are offended by everything nowadays, so of course this becomes a controversial book. I DEFINITELY didn’t see it that way. Not because I’m white and know nothing about immigrants. (That seems to be a reoccurring theme made by most of the negative trolls)

I love reading biographies and FICTION about people lives, experiences and struggles. To all those authors that have written such moving works that spark emotions and are thoug ...more

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Sep 27, 2021 Jen Pratt rated it it was amazing

This is a heartbreaking story that draws you in. It highlights some of the awful realities of people in Central America and Mexico face to motivate them to take the harrowing journey to get to the United States.
Lydia and Luca’s entire extended family were brutally killed by a cartel. They have to escape and the journey is engaging and difficult.
Warning, this book has violence, including descriptions of decapitations, sexual abuse, and other trauma.
I love how the author still celebrates the be ...more

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Dec 07, 2020 Laura (booksnob) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: literature, world-lit, book-of-the-month, botm, diverse-books, 2020

American Dirt was excellent. It was a page-turner but I was afraid to turn the pages and read it slowly because of my trepidation and I loved the characters so much that I didn't want anything bad to happen to them even though a ton of horrible things happened before they even left. This is the story of a mother and a son who ride the trains on their journey North to escape Aculpuco, Mexico to U.S. border. Its a realistic, well-researched portrait of a migrant on a journey of survival.
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