American Dirt

A Novel

By: Jeanine Cummins

Narrated by: Yareli Arizmendi

Length: 16 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-One New York Times Best Seller

Oprah’s Book Club Pick

"Extraordinary." (Stephen King)

"This book is not simply the great American novel; it’s the great novel of las Americas. It’s the great world novel! This is the international story of our times. Masterful." (Sandra Cisneros)

También de este lado hay sueños. On this side, too, there are dreams.

Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.

Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day, a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy - two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.

Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia - trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?

American Dirt will leave listeners utterly changed. It is a literary achievement filled with poignancy, drama, and humanity. It is one of the most important books for our times.

Already being hailed as "a Grapes of Wrath for our times" and "a new American classic", Jeanine Cummins' American Dirt is a rare exploration into the inner hearts of people willing to sacrifice everything for a glimmer of hope.

"Narrator Yareli Arizmendi illuminates the humanity and individuality of Latin American migrants as they flee toward refuge in the North.... The account of Lydia and Luca's travails, including terrifying rides atop Mexico's freight trains, is utterly compelling. But it is Arizmendi's voicing of Lydia, so full of fierce tenderness, that will stay with listeners after the story's close." (AudioFile Magazine)

Amazon.com Best Books of the Year - 2020

Boston Globe Best Books of the Year - 2020

©2020 Jeanine Cummins (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"I strive to write page-turners because I love to read them, and it’s been a long time since I turned pages as fast as I did with American Dirt. Its plot is tight, smart, and unpredictable. Its message is important and timely, but not political. Its characters are violent, compassionate, sadistic, fragile, and heroic. It is rich in authenticity. Its journey is a testament to the power of fear and hope and belief that there are more good people than bad." (John Grisham)

“American Dirt just gutted me, and I didn’t just read this book—I inhabited it.... Everything about this book was so extraordinary. It’s suspenseful, the language is beautiful, and the story really opened my heart. I highly recommend it, and you will not want to put it down. It is just a magnificent novel.” (Oprah)

"American Dirt is both a moral compass and a riveting read. I couldn’t put it down. I’ll never stop thinking about it." (Ann Patchett, number-one New York Times best-selling author of The Dutch House and Commonwealth)

A must read

While the characters in this story eluded to and endured many unpleasant and life changing events, I feel that this story was maybe a little sugar coated. No - not the sticky sweet sort, just not digging into the nasty underbelly of some of the events. Not that I think that was a bad thing or maybe even necessary. There was a lot of information that needed to be touched on and the author did an excellent job in covering so many reasons, possibilities and realities. I appreciated following characters who were good people but needed to leave, I appreciated reading about the bad apple sort who were part of the story and I appreciated the people who opened up their hearts, food and shelter to those in need.
I think this is a must read for everyone and especially to those who think we should close our borders to all. We should remember that our nation is a nation built on immigrants and no matter the race, color or religion, you and your forefathers came from somewhere else and undoubtedly suffered their share of discrimination and hardship. My guess is most of them were not criminals just people looking for a better life.
My thoughts are getting political so I'm going to stop now. In the end, this is a good heart warming story.

COMPLETELY CHANGED MY MINDSET

I truly hope that Jeanine Cummins reads this review so that she knows she has made a REAL difference in the mindset of this “American”. I went into this story with preconceived notions on the lives of the vast majority of migrants- notions that Jeanine has taught me were completely false. I reasoned that, sure, there were some migrants who were fleeing from dangerous circumstances but that those reasons were not the norm. Armed with the knowledge of what these survivors have to go through to even have a shot to make it to El Norte, I now know that, without a life or death reason, you’d have to be crazy to make the trek.

Thank you for opening my eyes and my mind. God bless every migrant who makes this treacherous journey for their own salvation. I will always hold them in my thoughts and prayers.

"Authentic" or not, it deserves a hearing

I decided to read this because the "woke" cancel culture decried it, saying the author was not herself a migrant. Their attempt at censorship made it an easy choice. Not everyone can tell their own story. I'm glad such a vivid writer told this one. She excels in creating very real 3D characters and eliciting a strong emotional response from the reader.

That said, I had a few problems with it. In style, the author has a trick of stretching out time, imitating the effect of adrenaline on a traumatized brain. It's effective but overused. In the last few chapters I started skipping 30-120 seconds to get through some endless scenes of minute detail and missed nothing central to the story.

Procedurally, the thought of forensic evidence never occurs to anyone. Fingerprints, dna, call logs, etc. Threads are left loose, and the story trails off indeterminately, rather wasting the opportunity to create a positive response in the reader to right the wrongs, change minds, and make a difference, which was the whole point of the book, I assume. The character of Luca was so strong that he should have been given the last word. It's HIS future we have been caring about through this journey.

The perspective regarding migrants is one-sided. I would expect this if the entire book were purely a migrant's POV, but the author employs multiple points of view as well as historical commentary, so it appears to lack the objectivity she uses capably with the character of Javier, for example. There is no acknowledgement that the border patrol is necessary to create the very safety and stability that migrants are seeking. The evil that Lydia is escaping is trying hard to spread its influence further north. On the other hand, it does make an excellent, if unvoiced, case for the Second Amendment. A government that not only permits corruption, crime, and murder but also commits it is an argument for the rights of citizens to arm themselves. Perhaps this point is what the woke culture wants to cancel?

I am grateful to the author for writing this book. As one of the privileged whose Jewish, Scottish, Norwegian, and English ancestors endured pogroms, blight, poverty, disease, and religious persecution (as well as dangerous crossings) so that their offspring could survive and prosper, I gained some insight into their desperation and willingness to undertake the hazards of the journey to the New World. There are no easy lives--we all struggle with something difficult, but it takes great trauma to move us out of our spheres. I know, admire, and love many Central Americans among whom I live and work, some legal and some probably not. I am glad to have a frame like Lydia's story to help me see the bigger picture and perceive the depth of what they may have suffered to gain the freedom and stability created by the Constitution, the rule of law, and the consent of the governed.

Must Read

regardless of your feelings about immigration, this is a story of the true nature of a mother trying to do what she believes will save her son. the simple fact that this is happening right now, to some human being, is torture. read at your own risk, it will break your heart and renew your passion for human kind.

Such a great book!

The author did a fabulous job giving the reader the many perspectives of migrants and those that help them along the way! We must remember that no one would choose such a difficult path unless the alternative was worse.

Great book

This books describes the problem on our North American continent perfectly. It is also a good story, well written and difficult to hit the pause button.

A Story Worth Listening too

Terrific Listen, Exciting and Frightening. Yes I have heard all the talk about bad Stereotypes and written by a non Mexican author. I would hope that all Murder Mystery writers are not murderers. There isn't a book written that doesn't borrow some sort of stereotype. Get over yourselves and listen to a worthwhile and intriguing story.

Mind opener

I was skeptical about this book at first, however the skepticism I initially had vanished shortly after beginning. This book will open your mind to the actual reality of many migrants coming to America and push any thought away of the script a certain US politician likes to push about hispanic migrants out of your mind. I never wanted to stop listening and was sad when it was over. 6 out of 5 stars

The best book in memory

Best in terms of engagement and interest in the story, and also in terms of the importance to doing life better today. Can't recommend highly enough.

Fabulous read

You will cry laugh and learn! Don’t hesitate to listen! Refreshing read. I loved it