By the Lake of Sleeping Children

Rating:
Summary: Tiajuana's own saivor
Review: I gave this book two stars because I feel the author is creative and tells a good story. I didn't give it more becuase the book stinks of whining about a problem and gives no solutions. The author at least admits that the extreme poverty found on the border is Mexico's fault. I was disappointed how the author portrays Border Patrol agents in the book. In actuality a large portion of the agents are chicanos, not anglo-terminators with nuclear shotguns and a bloodlust for poor Mexicans crossing the border! If this book was suppose to be actual accounts (non-fiction) about people he encountered during is exploits into northern Mexico, how could he read the thoughts of those people and put them down as fact? I think the author was being very creative.

In future books I hope he replaces "gringo" with American(o) and border guard with Border Patrol Agent.

Just as I have referred to Mexicans as Mexicans not the derogatory "wetbacks"

Rating:
Summary: Tiajuana's own saivor
Review: I gave this book two stars because I feel the author is creative and tells a good story. I didn't give it more becuase the book stinks of whining about a problem and gives no solutions. The author at least admits that the extreme poverty found on the border is Mexico's fault. I was disappointed how the author portrays Border Patrol agents in the book. In actuality a large portion of the agents are chicanos, not anglo-terminators with nuclear shotguns and a bloodlust for poor Mexicans crossing the border! If this book was suppose to be actual accounts (non-fiction) about people he encountered during is exploits into northern Mexico, how could he read the thoughts of those people and put them down as fact? I think the author was being very creative.

In future books I hope he replaces "gringo" with American(o) and border guard with Border Patrol Agent.

Just as I have referred to Mexicans as Mexicans not the derogatory "wetbacks"

Rating:
Summary: A must read
Review: I just finished By the Lake of Sleeping Children: The Secret Life of the Mexican Border, and I would recommend it to anyone who has a heart and open eyes.

First, for the person who had a negative review of the book (2 stars), this is not "non-fiction" in the sense that you're used to. No where does the author state all he's writing is dry facts. He's a creative writer, and you can write creatively based on fact. It happens all the time. And why should the author be so PC by changing "gringos" to "American(o)s"? "Gringos" is to imply anglos, not Americans.

Anyway, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart because at times is can be graphic in detail. I told my husband about some on the stories, the center theme being the dump, and he said, "what? they live in a dump?" He's Mexican. He's never heard of that. And he's heard many things more than the average person. The thing you just need to take away from this book is not the brutality but the knowledge that other people do live in extremely harsh situations. Whether you want to do something about it is another thing, but the most you can do is talk about it. Mexico is not the only country with such extreme poverty, and this book shouldn't be viewed and as only Mexico's truth.

In the harshness, there is still life. The last chapter of the book demonstrates this. Also that people do try to help as much as they can.

This would be a great book to teach in High School, but I doubt it would ever make the reading list.


Rating:
Summary: Shcocking and true
Review: I was scared and upset when I finally realized what the title of the book meant. I am a mexican-american, born on the U.S. side of the border. This book reminded me just how far away America is from Mexico, even though we are neigbors, we are worlds away. This book is blunt. Although it was a harsh reality check for me, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: Not His Best
Review: This book picks up where "Across the Wife" left off. "Across the Wire" was better, but this book still gives a dramatic description of some of the aspects of the lives of the poorest of the poor in TJ.

The saddest part is how Luis describes the people who have contacted him after having read the first book. "Very few want to send money," he laments. Money certainly isn't the answer to all the world's problems, but it would certainly help alleviate some of the suffering. It's sad that even after having read such heartbreaking stories few people wish to do the easiest act to help: write a check.

Surprisingly absent from this book is the author's suggestions for a solution to the problem. This speaks of Urrea's intelligence or perhaps how much he's learned from his experiences. THERE IS NO EASY SOLUTION! There is no remedy that can be written in a few pages in a book.


Rating:
Summary: Not meant to be PC
Review: This is a very disturbing book, but relevant even for those who have no connection to the border (it was read for a class on cultural diversity). The harshness of the world inhabited by the people Urrea writes about is clearly carried through the work, and IMO to populate the book with editorial PC-ness would lead to the loss of meaningfulness. It doesn't matter if it offends you. It's supposed to be offensive! You're supposed to read this and be disgusted, sad, disturbed; just affected in any way. Poverty is rife. Violence is a way of survival. People are resourceful, nevertheless.

Urrea does a good job of illustrating the cycle of dependence between the US and Mexico, or the cycle of oppressor and oppressed, if you will. I personally didn't see the author as blaming Mexico alone; there is plenty of scathing commentary on US involvement from foreign policy, NAFTA, and maquiladoras*, down to the individuals who take a day trip down to hand out food, clothes, and hygienic products.

I did not like reading this book. But I'm glad I did.

*You can find out more about maquiladoras by doing a search at About.com

Rating:
Summary: Chilling look at the other side.
Review: We, as United States citizens take for granted all that we have and this book is a solemn reminder of all that we do have to be thankful for. Urrea gives character sketches of sorts on the impoverished families and orphaned children that live unseen by the world in their own world of the Mexican garbage dumps. A very sad tale about the suffering in Mexico that goes unnoticed. Thank you Urrea for opening my eyes and my heart to these children.