American Dirt book review

You know how people say, ‘You need to walk a mile in my shoes before you judge me?’ Well, you could walk 500 miles in this person's shoes and you would never comprehend what they've been through. You know how people often say, be nice to someone because you never know what they're going through? This book is the definition of that. Today I am writing about the greatest book of all time (according to me).

We are talking about the book American Dirt. This book was written by Janine Cummings. The genre of the book is fiction. The theme of the book is suspense and literature. So American Dirt. Let's get all into this cover. You got some tile work. It looks like it might be, you know, Latin American-inspired, some of the design. But is it tile or is this barbed wire? I bring this up because the cover of the hardcover edition of this book (like the book itself) will make you think about everything you've ever seen and question it. 

Now, without giving away the entire story, I will tell you that it's a story of immigrants, of their passage into America, and of a brilliant young man named Luca. Luca is a geography expert, genius, hypersensitive, hyper-aware little boy. If you mention the state of Arizona, he will tell you how big it is, the population, and the major city. If you mention the country of Cuba, Luca will tell you everything. And that is so telling because one of the most important things in the book to me is that you really have to consider what people are going through in their lives before you judge them.

Because if you met Lydia in America, you would say, Wow, she has this job, she's working here, her son is in school. Cool. No, no, no, no, no. She used to own a bookstore. She was a complete entrepreneur. She met the love of her life and began an amazing adventure. She also has really good friends, right? There's more. She was a mom, a sister, a wife, a cousin. She had all of this stuff going. Even when Luca and Lydia are traveling, and Luca starts to spout off all of the geography facts that he knows, and they're just like, Oh, that's so cool. Can I pay you to tell us more? Can I pay you? Like it's a gimmick. 

So customers ask Lydia, ‘Did you pay him to do this? Is this part of a trick?’ She's like, no, he loves geography. I'm like, can the kid love geography? Why does he have to be trying to scam everyone because he knows a lot? Don’t people have talents anymore? Oh, you think it’s a scam because you don't know any kids that love geography… got it. You have to look deeper with everyone. You have to; which is one of the overarching themes of the book for me. 

Look closer, but there's more to everyone you see. 

Even when we see Lydia and Luca running, and they see the Jeep and they don’t know if this ia a good Jeep that will help them cross the border to safety or a bad Jeep that will take them back like crabs in a barrel. But you have to know there is a reason for the running and the suspense and them seeking a better life.  Look deeper. 

• What are they trying to look for? 

• What are they trying to find? 

There are so many nuances in the book, and that was one thing that I absolutely loved about it because you have to look deeper.

You have to wonder what people are going through. You have to wonder where they've been. So the last point I always mention, would I reread the book American Dirt? I would. I thought Lydia and Luca were exceptional. The writing was really, really great, and I love the story. It made me look deeper. It made me wonder what the background is of some of the people that I see.

• You're in the grocery store. What's the story of the person next to you? 

• You're driving your car. What's the story of the person next to you? 

I would reread this book because it really stirred something in me and made me want to look more deeply at absolutely everything. So if you're still here, thank you for watching today's review of the book, American Dirt. I think about this book the way people call The Grapes of Wrath the best book of all time. Admittedly, I haven’t read it, but I may need to so I can properly compare the two. 

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I feel like this book will be on the banned book list soon because it really humanizes people who seek refuge in other countries because death, intemindationg and fear are so prevalent in their home country. Think about where you live and who you love, and imagine having to leave that because you want to stay alive, and you believe there must be a better world and life somewhere else. The fear and terror of learning a new culture and language are worth it because you value your life and don't want it to end if you stay where you are. This lesson came across very well in the book American Dirt. 

Big quote: Being alive is fun, and if your best option to stay alive is to move to a new country, you will do it. Anyone would do it because the alternative option is too dark, deadly, or dangerous. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPs3wi5emEU

Let me know if you've read anything by the author Janine Cummings. Read this book while you can! And if you are a people-watcher, go to the mall, look at people who look like you and those who do not, and imagine what their lives are like. Even in your imagination, you can only choose images that are similar to what you have experienced or counter to what you have experienced because that is how our minds work. But for one second, just imagine that a life, sulteur and a world exist that you will never know. That is what it means to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and jump a train to stay alive. 

Pick up the book, American Dirt, because it'll get you all into the nitty-gritty details of other people's lives. 

Until the next book review, 

Kyla