American Dirt

A Novel

De: Jeanine Cummins

Narrado por: Yareli Arizmendi

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

Reseñas de la Crítica

"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)

Amazing!

This book is great, for so many reasons. Yes, you have to get over the fact that Jeanine Cummins is not Mexican, and that she is not an immigrant, but she is human and therefore able to make connections and move you with her words. The amount of details, is shocking. All her characters are relatable, and throughout the book their pain becomes our pain, their joy, our joy. It’s a book filled with raw emotions, and you can’t help but keep listing, and cheering those characters on.

Required reading, please!

I could not fall asleep until I finished this tale of suspense, horror and real life struggles to simply survive; not just to survive but to see that families survive. All “United States” residents should read this book!

So good. Everyone should read

If you have a problem with the fact that The author is not Mexican please listen to or read the authors note first. Also, I have read many works of fiction where the author was not from that certain place or even time period. Since when is that a prerequisite, If the author studies and puts effort into the work.
This story was so well written. Every character was well portrayed and you felt for each one. There are many strong examples of immigrant women and all they had to endure to get away from their terrible situations. I think this book will really help many people see immigrants in a new light.

Excellent writing and story

I really enjoyed American Dirt. The story was both moving and believable, and yet not overtly political. The book is well written and I found myself giving my dog 3 and 4 walks a day to get more listening time. I highly recommend American Dirt.

Don't understand the negativity surrounding this.

A friend of mine who is not Mexican-American asked me to read this book and afterward read the reviews and comment on both. Interesting request. I reported the story, the characters, the evoked sadness, and the message were entertaining and enlightening. The words and language drew pictures for me that were easily imaginable. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Then I looked at the critical commentary on this book of fiction, the success-shaming of the author. I'm wondering what I missed. I didn't see anything stereotypical about a Mexican widow who owned a bookstore in Acapulco, who had to flee with her young son from the cartel who killed her journalist husband . I didn't see what critics are calling blatant errors, although there may be some. I saw a beautifully crafted story of survival and the strength of love.

Wow! A must read.

Make sure to listen to the authors note at the end. She has an interesting story and provides details on her passion for this subject.

This is one of those books where you don’t want to put it down because you have to know what happens.

AMAZING!

Very well written and narrated! Thank you Jeanine Cummins for taking on the challenge and writing this amazing story.

I don't understand the criticism! Fantastic Book!

I don't understand the criticism! So, the author is not an immigrant. She has stated she did five years of research. This is a novel, not a memoir. While it does not have the poetic prose I usually crave in books the stories of the migrant's travels are believable and clear. The book is addictive and the characters both memorable and relatable. You grow to feel their pain, their love, their hope and yes their desperation. It will hopefully encourage better understanding and compassion for those migrants who make it to El Norte and into our communities. The criticism seems to be little more than just jealousy for the book's popularity and takes the form of internet bullying. For those who criticise, please suggest other reading on the subject. The reader (Yareli Arizmendi) is fantastic.

A must read

American Dirt humanizes the plight of migrants, many of whom only want to be safe.

Loving the Book

I am not even finished with the book but am writing a review to encourage others to do so. I typically don't read Fiction but this book was recommended to me and am glad I proceeded. What an incredibly gripping story that hooks you from the very beginning. The characters all vividly unfold in mastery story telling. The story is relevant, insightful although terrifyingly real in our world.

Highly recommend this read.