Vanishing Frontiers

The Forces Driving Mexico and the United States Together

By: Andrew Selee

Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell

There may be no story today with a wider gap between fact and fiction than the relationship between the United States and Mexico.

Wall or no wall, deeply intertwined social, economic, business, cultural, and personal relationships mean the US-Mexico border is more like a seam than a barrier, weaving together two economies and cultures.

Mexico faces huge crime and corruption problems, but its remarkable transformation over the past two decades has made it a more educated, prosperous, and innovative nation than most Americans realize. Through portraits of business leaders, migrants, chefs, movie directors, police officers, and media and sports executives, Andrew Selee looks at this emerging Mexico, showing how it increasingly influences our daily lives in the United States in surprising ways -- the jobs we do, the goods we consume, and even the new technology and entertainment we enjoy.

From the Mexican entrepreneur in Missouri who saved the US nail industry, to the city leaders who were visionary enough to build a bridge over the border fence so the people of San Diego and Tijuana could share a single international airport, to the connections between innovators in Mexico's emerging tech hub in Guadalajara and those in Silicon Valley, Mexicans and Americans together have been creating productive connections that now blur the boundaries that once separated us from each other.

Critic reviews

"[A] welcome perspective on migration."—Reuters

"Engaging.... While the intractable anti-Mexican minority in the U.S. retains its power to influence elections, their leaders really ought to read this book. So should the president."—Wall Street Journal

"A painstakingly even-handed portrait of the US and Mexico at a pivotal moment."—Financial Times

"An evenhanded, reasoned contribution to an overheated discussion."—Kirkus Reviews

"Andrew Selee brilliantly chronicles the forces that have redefined our relationship with Mexico over the past quarter century, covering trade, immigration, security, and so much more. His intimate knowledge of Mexico and its people shines through as he tells the story, in a highly readable fashion, of why Mexico matters to the well-being of our nation. As our government is currently renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, Vanishing Frontiers is a must read for all Americans, who will find it a book once started, very hard to put down."—Carla Hills, former US traderepresentative and secretary of housing and urban development

"While some politicians talk about walls, Andrew Selee tells us about the bridges that bind Mexico and the United States together. Few relationships will define our future as much as the one we have with the country next door. From energy and innovation to film and food, this book captures the many linkages that tie us together and shows why Mexico truly matters for our future."—Bill Richardson, former governor of New Mexico, US ambassadorto the United Nations, and secretary of energy

"Drawing on his deep bicultural background, Andrew Selee narrates in colorful and fascinating detail how economic integration and demographic change are blending Mexican and American societies. Given the ongoing and heated public debate about NAFTA and US-Mexican relations, this is a most timely work."—John Negroponte, former USambassador to Mexico, deputy secretary of state, and director of nationalintelligence

"In nativist times, Andrew Selee's Vanishing Frontiers is a spot on, vivid, extraordinary, ground-level view of the key players quietly building bridges between the United States and Mexico. This wide-ranging, painstakingly well-researched, and sharply written account provides a much-needed human face to grasp the seismic changes sweeping both countries. Vanishing Frontiers adds much needed context and splendid insight to today's complex conversation. Selee takes us on a personal journey and bluntly reminds us why walls are obsolete and ties inevitable. You cannot understand the future of both countries without reading Vanishing Frontiers."—Alfredo Corchado,border correspondent, Dallas Morning News, and author, Midnight in Mexico

Timely book

I enjoyed the book’s ideas, arguments and themes.

I am bilingual in English and Spanish, but sometimes I could not understand what narrator was stating. Unfortunately, the narrator, who is an outstanding speaker in English, could not pronounce Spanish words and phrases, so many times I could not understand what he was referring to. Bad pronunciation of frequent terms in Spanish was most distracting and at times confusing. I actually do not think this is the narrator’s fault at all, instead the supervisor on this recording should have helped correct miss pronunciations.

It is a great ironic that a book about Mexico and the United States has an audio version that sounds very gringo in the pronunciation of Spanish words. I think it is contrary to the themes of the book to have this flaw.

Very interesting view into an evolving Mexico

Well written and narrated. Some interesting facts that seem to be overlooked by the press and politicos in the US, but also quite a bit of wishful thinking.

must read

loads of informations, very enjoyable with positive view of mexico, most other books reveal the negative sides of mexico

Great content, annoying performance

Great survey of the relationship between the two countries, but performance had a bizarre, jumpy cadence, and pronunciation of Spanish words was annoyingly gringo at best and completely incomprehensible at worst.

A mandatory read, now more than ever

Fascinating and fair examination of the complicated but blossoming relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.