American Dirt (Oprah's Book Club) by Jeanine Cummins

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American Dirt. A powerful, riveting story of the journey that defines a migrant woman’s life. The heartbreaking and the hopeful events are intertwined, opening a vista into a world unknown to most People born into the American middle class. American Dirt is a simple title for an unfathomably complex relationship of personal attachment to people, place, and lifestyle. So many stories within this story of a courageous journey.

Stronger Than They Thought!. Painful, poignant, powerful story of love, survival, and hope for the future. Mother and a young son’s harrowing journey of losing their entire family to the horrors of the Mexican cartel and escaping to the USA. If this doesn’t touch your heart, nothing will. Neither knew that they could do what was necessary but knew they had to survive.

Couldn’t put it down. Fine writing, unforgettable characters, heartbreaking theme.

Good but predicted the ending. I was half way through and new how it was going to end and was correct.

American Dirt. The irony that the title relays an underlying message on the entirety of the book. The book was not an accurate portrayal of Mexicans and migrante experiences.

Cultural trauma porn by a white author. Disgusting use of someone using the struggle of others to build a career.

It’s a NOVEL, people! Not a memoir.. Great, hair-raising story from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down! I highly recommend it. Cultural appropriation? I didn’t see it. At no point did the author suggest it was her personal story. Like all good writers, she researched her subject and wove what she learned into the storyline. It is common for novelists to write about topics beyond their own experience. I don’t see how this is an issue.

Gave me empathy. I will never be the same after reading this book. I lost a few nights of sleep because I could not put it down. I think everybody should read this book and they would have more empathy for the immigrants plight.

Trail of Tears. When we hear about illegal immigration, it is numbers of unambiguous people looking for a better life. The thousands of people are faceless and ready to invade our country. This book shows us the blood, sweat and tears of the journey along with the pain and problems that compels them to flee their homelands. The drug cartels have so much power and corrupt every level of government. This book holds your attention and begs you to continue reading to the end.

Beautiful. It’s not every day that a story captures my attention from start to finish the way this novel did. Jeanine has an amazing gift for store telling that made me so invested in the characters and what they had to endure. I recommend this book to everyone and I’m excited to read more work by this author!

One of the Best!. A must read.

A real page turner. I couldn’t put this book down! I felt like I was making the escape from Mexico and places beyond right along with the migrants. The writing is fantastic!

Survival. I can’t imagine being in the position to make decisions of life and death. Surviving the journey is only half the battle. We should not judge others until we have walked in their shoes.

American Dirt. Good read

American Dirt. Beautifully written and so well done that despite how painful much of the story was, it was hard to put down. In addition it taught me an enormous amount about the trials of immigration.

American Dirt. Great read…..

My heart was in my throat. A gripping and revealing story of the pain, trials and hardships endured in the effort you reach American Dirt.

Great read. An excellent look at one woman’s journey, with her smart little boy, from acapulco to New Mexico after their family is massacred by a drug cartel

Good read. This was a good story it left me wanting to know more about the characters in the book and if this is based on true events

American Dirt. A gut-wrenching story of the brutality of narcos, the courage of those driven to abandon their country, the challenges of the bestia, and ultimately the hope of starting over. Hard to put down, necessary to put down to sleep.

Wonderful story. Compelling characters gave a window into what it’s like to navigate an escape from cartel violence and cross the border with a coyote. Fictional but realistic story. Fell in love with the mother & son.

Unbelievable. This story is utterly spellbinding. It created so much empathy in me for Lydia and Luca throughout their journey that I was in denial when I had finished this book. American Dirt will bring in a new perspective on life and love and how precious it all is. Please read this book!!

10/10. Made me see life through a different perspective.

Viajar al Norte. The early controversy around this book had me reluctant to read it. The charge being that the author was speaking in a voice that was not her own, an experience she did not know, and culture she did not grow up in. But is that not what all creative writing is? Pulling a little bit from ourselves, what is around us, and filling in the rest with imagination and dexterity with the written word. So I tried it and was grateful for doing so. Migration to the US and EU by displaced groups is a hotly debated topic, whether legal or otherwise. Who should come, why should they be allowed, how many, and when. Politicians hold the final say in the rules but the conditions on the ground are what move to ignore them. For too long the wrong narrative has been told about this situation and held up any progress on immigration reform. That’s why it is so refreshing to read a book like “American Dirt” or “The New Odyssey” that tell the stories of who make dangerous and costly effort towards any possibility of hope. Because the alternative is often death with no help from an apathetic or corrupt government. Whether the experience of the author is 100% authentic or not, the stories need to get out there so all of us who are in a position to help can understand the why.

American Dirt. A completely political book wanting you to feel that illegal immigrants are wonderful people and have a right to illegally enter the US. Very predictable.

Time for the BIG screen. Really great read that would be a great movie!

American Dirt. Incredibly compelling story that keeps you engaged with the characters and their struggles from beginning to end.

Riveting and educational. Could not put down

This book made me cry. This book is really detailed and the story telling drew me in, it was longing getting to the point of the story but once it did putting the book down was impossible. I cried at the end

Wonderful read. This book is captivating and real. It makes us appreciate what we have and never take anything for granted.

American Dirt. Well written indeed. Great adventure and much information. Ending kind of anticlimactic however.

Poorly written nonsense. Could have been written by a child or an AI. Don’t bother with this one.

Fearless Author. Incredible, brave story. I’m glad I read it.

Beautifully writtrn. This gut wrenching novel is something everyone should read. So beautifully written and really brings out your empathy through and through.

Is this a Telenovela!? Or a book. Extremely fictitious it damages the cause way more than it helps. If you portray this story what about the millions of the other stories? does that make them less worthy because of the book exaggerated story? We need real story’s from real people. Sorry but I hated this book.

A book to Remember. An unforgettable story of how a comfortable middle class life can change in an instant. This book tells the story of living in a country controlled by cartels. The harrowing journey people will make to escape the horror of their circumstances. The brutal inhuman treatment of innocent people. It is at times heartbreaking and hard to understand ,but also speaks of the spirit and resolve of people to get out and find a better life . This is a story for our time. A must read!!

Must Read!. Excellent Book! 100% recommend!!

Absolutely Amazing. As an immigrant myself having come to this country fleeing persecution and poverty I am so grateful someone put this story so palpable and made it so compelling that I couldn’t put it down from the moment I started reading it. Looking back, at my time spent in America, now as an American citizen I can’t help but to think how many people are still in the same situation and this book made me gain a new respect for those poor souls fleeing tragedy, and desperation trying to give their children a new, safer future.

Might change your mind. Immigration… not as cut and dry as you might think. Good story and gives a different perspective.

Simply well done. This story captivated me almost immediately. Coming from illegal immigrant parents myself and reading this book had me in tears. My parents stories were brief but I’m almost certain they encountered the same obstacles as the sisters. I loved it and the reader had was done so well.

Great book. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It has become controversial because the author is not Latina. That is irrelevant. What is important is that it conveys true emotions and the struggles of the migrants. As well as the senseless violence of the cartels.

American dirt. Coming from an immigrant family, I feel this book lacked certain emotion. I expected more imagery and more raw material that only a migrant can and should write about.

Good read. A page turner

Predictable. Predictable ending and way too long. The beginning was awesome but then the plot dragged on and on.

American Dirt. The book was as predictable as a Hallmark movie. I thought it was going to be a better told story.

Insightful & Heart Wrenching. Incredible read, page turner. One of the most solemn depictions of immigration and the sacrifices made to take those journeys.

Amazing book for our time. If you have been one to ignore the reason behind why so many people come to our country illegally, this is a must read. If you have a heart at all, you will fully understand after this read. I’m so grateful this topic was faced and addressed head on in this book. So candid and real for what is going on today. Thank you!

A journey I will be a better person for taking.... This book made me see a different side of an immigrant. I cried and dreamed I was on this journey. Life changing

Great Read!. Great book! Highly recommend!!!

No words. I have no words for the Incredible, Despicable, Incomprehensible Journey you will go on with these people. To call them Characters is too belittle them. I’m so so so glad I read this.

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10/10. This book is amazing. Highly recommend.

American Dirt. An amazing and thrilling tale of sorrow, life, and strength. The characters draw you in, captivate you, and when the story ends, it’s like you will miss them as if they have become a part of your life

Great story.. This was a great read.

Captivating. I read this book in one day into the early hours of the next day. The story was grief stricken enough to leave you as a reader horrified at the struggles migrants have to take. Amazing read.

Guëra author writes guëro fiction.. See subject.

Riveting!. I picked up this book because I wanted to learn more about stories of migrants. Especially with the recent news of deportations of Haitian migrants, being of Haitian descent, I wanted to feel the experience of migrants journey to cross the US boarder. I believe the author has opened my eyes in this book to provide motivation, risks and challenges migrants go through to reach USA or any other G7 country. She delivered with a plot that kept me on edge throughout the book.

Great Story!. Enjoyed this book, easy quick read.

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Ridiculous story. Want my money back

Why is this being sold still?. Who is even buying this now?

Great writing!!. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time! I could not put it down! Highly recommend this book!

Messages. Review

Must Read!. Could not stop reading after those first 7 pages... hooked instantly!

Great. Loved this book

I. M

Thanks. RFMA was we dry

Suciedad Americana. Very bad book, please stop making money with the disgrace of other people, this is just an array of damaging stereotypes making look Mexicans like a horde of brown savages. The prose is poor and the plot is as profound as any soap opera your tía would see on Telemundo. DO NOT BUY this book, there is a ton of books writing by latinx that describe the experiences that this writer will never understand #Dignidadliteraria

abosuletly disgusting. my class is currently reading articles about this book and this is just humiliating. “my dad died so i’m gonna be racist” is what cummins basically said. cummins has no right to write a book like this. it’s also just a bad book in general lol

Read it!. This is a beautiful smartly written book! From the first page you feel the emotions of the characters that are so real I felt I took this journey with them. Please don’t pay attention to the 1 star reviews which seem politically motivated to me. This book is now one of my favorites!

Terrible.. The story was not hers to tell. She obviously did not even speak to any Mexicanos.

Read it. If you’re on the fence, read it. Quickly became one of my ALL time top five. Inspired me to go read more books, written by latinx authors. I am aware that Jeannine is not Latin. Her writing is so utterly captivating. Incredible, eye opening, read.

American Dirt. Terrible, boring, stereotypical characters , Obviously written by someone without a clue. I’ve tried two of her other books and found the author is just not worth reading!

Great book!. None stop exciting, riveting and heart pounding story. Compelling and heart wrenching as you share the destitution of a migrants life and journey.

AMERICAN DIRT. Stereotypes and a storyline that makes a cheap soap opera seem credible by comparison, written by a woman “brown-washing” her mainstream-white background and claiming familiarity with the “immigrant experience” of Latinx people due to her “immigrant” husband... who’s from Ireland. It’s shameful that the publisher, and Oprah, gave such publicity and promotion to this phony when there are authentic Latinx authors writing authentic novels and not getting published.

American Dirt. Ms Cummins story was not hers to tell. I found it most annoying that while appropriating someone’s else’s culture , she also peppered the book with Spanish words and phrases. The characters were primarily Mexican and Central American. The narrative was in English yet every now and then an italicized word or phrase would appear. Why? To remind us they were Spanish speakers? Finished reading it solely for my book club discussion. Not worth $15.99!

Beautifully written!. I couldn’t stop! It brought a ton of emotions!

Bad, bad , bad. A terrible, poorly written book by a woman who does not have the sensitivity, depth, or most basic common knowledge to write about the topic .

RIVETING. You cannot read the first line of this book and not finish it. This book is crippling, terrifying, and empowering all in one. I think the author does a beautiful job of creating a platform of empathy on this subject and stories like this one. This was not a story of a Mexican immigrant coming to America for a “better” life. This was a story of a mother seeking refuge because she had no choice. While the story did bring to light the horrors of the cartel, it also embodied the quote it highlighted: “On this side, too, there are dreams. She painted their life in a way that was endearing and relatable. I became completely enraptured with each of the characters. Critics have said some of the characters were bland or “stereotypes,” but I disagree. The worst part of the book was the sickening reality that, in today’s America, this book would’ve ended with her son being taken from her and put in a cage at the border.

bad. i really don’t understand why she would want to write a book on this topic.she’s not hispanic whatsoever.

Great book. Good read.

Problematic at best, literary diarrhea at worst.. “American Dirt” is the classic tale of a Mexican woman who witnesses the cartel execution of her family, as is common apparently, and proceeds to Google how to be Mexican all while describing how seeing dead people in the streets is just as common as stray dogs. It’s not enough that the author claims the book speaks on behalf of undocumented people, but that she got the most basic of things wrong. Our main character is somehow surprised by the beauty of the Mexican landscapes and buildings, and then calls the gorgeous color palettes “cartoonish”. Go to Guanajuato or Tepotzotlán and tell me with a straight face the city’s colors are cartoonish. Our character then proceeds to be shocked and delighted by the Mexicans she comes across in her journey, and by this point it’s been established that there’s simply no way this character is Mexican or even from Mexico, or that the place she’s living in is in no way really Mexico. It’s a trope of Mexico, it’s a stereotype. Jeanine Cummins’ trip to the border for her “research” only solidified her idea of what she thinks Mexico is, and then proceeded to write a story she acknowledged she had no place in writing, but decided to anyway. After amassing a 7-figure upfront pay from her publisher, lying about threats that her publisher had now said were non-existent, cancelling her book tour as a PR ploy, and then almost immediately selling the film rights for an undisclosed amount, Jeanine Cummins has sold neo-Liberal white people on the same trope the latest Rambo flick espouses: Mexico is a sepia-toned cartel infested hell hole that needs saving by white people. Flatiron could have published such works by notable authors like Valeria Luiselli or Marcello Hernandez Castillo, but instead decided on the white granddaughter of a Puerto Rican. We know the grandmother is Puerto Rican because until recently Jeanine Cummins had gone on record to say she is, in fact, a white woman, but then to push the sale of her toilet paper she says is a book suddenly the lady has a token ethnic person in her family and magically identifies as “Latinx”. And the publisher hid the fact that they’re also publishing Oprah’s memoir, so now it’s just a full blown plot of a white woman writing a mediocre tale for an audience who will continue to view Mexico as a stereotypical nation needing saving by the white faux-woke saviors of America, published by a house working closely with Oprah who then placed it on her “prestigious” bookclub, and amassed so much cash for an undeserving novel. The author, in her own words, said that she is not an authority on the topic but decided that she was to be the voice of the voiceless all while drumming up the tired and racist dialogue of Donald Trump but in a neat package for her painfully white readers to digest. American Dirt is irresponsible and only further disenfranchises writers of color in an industry sorely lacking in equality and justice. In summary, “American Dirt” is the literary equivalent of that white couple at a Trump rally holding signs that read “BLACKS FOR TRUMP”.

Eye opening. I don’t understand the bad reviews just because she isn’t Latina this book opens your eyes yes the situation in Mexico is bad and for those who say she is portraying a stereotype as sad as it sounds it’s true. What I love about this book is that yes horrible things happen it gives you an insight of why these brave immigrants take this painful journey in order to build a better life for themselves these immigrants aren’t bad people they are brave hardworking people who have no other choice and most lose their life on the way to freedom.

Lack of understanding to write this book. Romanticizes the immigrant and POC experience

Culturally insensitive garbage. That’s it. That’s the review.

American Dirt. classic cultural appropriation by a white woman

Captivating story!. Excellent book! I spent many nights not being able to put it down. It’s definitely on my top list of tops books I have ever read. Ignore all the negative reviews. You won’t regret reading this story. Even though it’s a work of fiction, it’s definitely given me a new perspective.

I found this story very moving. It’s a novel first and foremost, so people’s criticism that it wasn’t written by someone from Mexico doesn’t make sense to me. I found the story and the characters compelling and I struggled with them as they made their horrific journey.

Lydia!. This is a NOVEL and keep that in mind! The criticism of any Mexican/Latino realism is unnecessary because this is one of the best books I’ve read in years. Yes it’s about fictional characters in a very real world. Beautifully written prose and kept me up reading til 3 am for a few nights til I was sure Lydia and Luca would escape the horrors of the opening shower stall horror. Read this book!

Riveting!. This was an amazing read! Well written and engaging. I couldn’t put it down, from the first page to the last. A real eye opener for this sheltered, naive reader. What an amazing book!

Couldn’t Put It Down. I loved every page.

Extraordinary!. Humanizes the plight of migrants in so many ways. And makes our treatment of them so much worse. I cannot imagine what they suffer.

Haters gonna hate. But this book is a great work of fiction! Super enticing

Ughh. Terrible. It enforces negative stereotypes about what Mexico is, enforced by a white woman who “tried her best”. Trying is not enough.

Ok. I will say that the book is beautifully written and you feel for Lydia as they go on this journey, but it’s long and daunting I often found myself just thinking “get to the point!” It’s a hard read emotionally. Not a feel good bedtime story for sure.

Amazing Insight. Author Jeanine Cummings sheds a thorough spotlight on reasons why people leave the terror of the cartel and make their way North. After the massacre of her entire family there is nothing to do but take her child join the ranks of many seeking refuge in the USA.

Thief !. This woman stole from prominent Hispanic authors, white washed it, and tried to call it an original piece.

Horrible. A clueless privileged white woman has no business writing so many false negative stereotypes about a Mexican's reality.

Read it. Great read. I could not put this book down. I was always worried about Lydia and Lucas’ next move. And If your going to worry about cultural appropriation then don’t read this book cause we don’t want to hear you whine about it and talk trash. There is a reason why this book falls in the fiction category.

American Trash. Just like the author and her barbed-wire party.

Gripping story!. So well-written and had me from page 1. Very compelling characters and story line.

Like you are right therr. This book was so vividly told. Eye opening and incredibly well written, I found myself sneaking an extra chapter before going to bed.

DH. I don’t get all the negative reviews. While I’m sure the author makes mistakes in her portrayal of Latin people, she puts a serious topic in the front burner. It’s easy as Americans to ignore what Trump has done to immigrants on the border. After you read this book it’s a lot harder to ignore the plight of Latin people escaping oppressive situations. Look for the good this book does...not sure where the bad is.

This book is trash. This book is trash hella trash don’t buy it!!! The author is not even Mexican 😂😂 and then proceeds to trash talk Mexican culture? Alright white cracker.

Simply well done. This story captivated me almost immediately. Coming from illegal immigrant parents myself and reading this book had me in tears. My parents stories were brief but I’m almost certain they encountered the same obstacles as the sisters. I loved it and the reader had was done so well.

Great work of fiction. People are just mad because this is a work of fiction and they don’t understand that fiction isn’t non-fiction. There are better works of fiction within the Latinx community though, which are written by other Latinx authors. If you do end up liking the book, I highly, highly, highly recommend that you look into other Latinx authors as well—Latinx authors are severely underestimated as fantastic writers, so don’t be that person! Read the book and form your own opinion; it’s a good read, far from the scope of typical American trauma porn perpetuated by other actual white authors regarding people of color. The more I read the comments about this book that are negative, the more I realize it’s a matter of people not wanting a woman to be successful and less about the race baiting arguments. Again, the book is fiction, it doesn’t start off by saying, “this is how it really is and everyone should treat it as such...” those people are just projecting their own internal racism onto the world around them. I say all of this as a non-toxic member of society who is a person of color, politically independent, male who read the book and didn’t take it personally. Be kind people.

American Dirt. Beautifully written. A real page turner from the beginning. This is a true classic piece of literature

American Dirt. This book opened my eyes!

American Dirt. A story created “a la Hollywood”, with a political agenda. It downplays the serious problem with illegal immigration.