~The
True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America
By
Helen Thorpe
This
is an important book for our time. Immigration is a hot topic in America today,
morally and politically. This book puts the spotlight on four young Hispanic
women as they deal with this issue from the inside.
We
meet four lifelong friends: Marisela, Elissa, Clara and Yadira. The girls grew
up together, with the dream of an education and life as free Americans, earning
the freedom from generations of poverty.
Only
two of the girls, Clara and Elissa, have legal immigration status, however.
Yadira and Marisela do not have the required, necessary papers to be in America
legally. They become adept at working around the system, such as paying for
fake social security numbers, enabling them to work.
As
the four girl become adults, they are faced with the facts of the consequences
of illegal status. Though gifted and college bound, Yadira and Marisela must
have the necessary paperwork to further themselves. They cannot even fly
without papers. Deportation is a significant and very real concern. They are
acutely aware that their legal friends do not have this issue.
Adding
to the book is the fact that the author’s husband is the mayor of Denver, while
Denver is embroiled in a national immigration battle. The case involves a
Mexican immigrant who shoots and kills a police officer.
Sounds like a book I would like to read.
ReplyDeleteThis brings to life the real struggles of this issue.
DeleteIt also sounds like a book I really should read.
ReplyDeleteIt is very heartfelt & rough.
DeleteEveryone should read this book so they can understand the human element and divorce it from the political. Your review is a good start for many ... thank you.
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From the Sol
Sadly, it can't be divorced from the political. It has many too many components. This book shows a rare glimpse from some unique perspectives. It is an important book. Thanks.
DeleteI spent several years living in El Paso, Texas, a border city. This was an everyday issue there. Illegal workers at the bottling company where I worked would be deported on a regular basis and would return across the border and be back at work on Monday morning. As true waste of taxpaper dollars. This whole issue is very complex, and I think the book would be a good read to see how differently it plays out for the legal and illegal girls. Wife of the mayor of Denver?? Hmmm, interesting!!
ReplyDeleteJosie, it is complex. Traveling to Phoenix every few weeks, and Bill having traveled to Mexico & border towns, made me curious about this book. It is a hot issue, and this is an important book. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSadly, there are no easy answers.
ReplyDeleteDear McGuffy Ann, thank you for alerting us to this book. This is indeed a "hot issue" and one I'd like to learn more about from related personal experiences.
ReplyDeleteDiscovering the life of one undocumented immigrant is so much more satisfying to me that learning about a group and not getting to know any of them personally.
Peace.