Some great narratives, but could have been shortened up a bit. i learned a lot but over all some of the chapters drug along for a while. But interesting social-political journey into the Mexican border!

I did not know - I am an OTM immigrant ("Other Than Mexican'). I live about a mile north of I-8 in San Diego's East County. I know all the locations mentioned in the book, whether they are from trips to the local casinos, camping in the Anza Borrego desert, hiking and off-roading. Just a few weeks ago, I was at "The Wall". As a German, I of course have certain opinions about walls and borders, and this book aligns pretty well with them.

All 60 stories in this book are about the people, economy and culture or the land which starts at the Pacific Ocean between San Diego, CA, USA and Tijuana, BC, Mexico stretching for about 70 miles due east. These are the stories of the native people of the area, commerce between Mexico and the USA, legal and illegal activities and the politics and enforcement of border protection. As a local living in this particular area for close to 20 years, the stories are about a part of the live that is happening around me, that I just did not know. All these stories are connected well, despite the huge number of chapters for this size of book,

Giving the book 5-stars is a very personal rating. The author is not exactly subtle about his opinions, making at times slapstick caricatures of our now convicted congressman Duncan Hunter and still elected president Trump. While I like this unrestrained emotional writing, some may not.

DW Gibson uses some numbers, but they are often just ballpark figures, which leave some doubts about accuracy and validity. I do not look at this as a factual research paper though, more like an entertaining read about observations in the style of a Malcom Gladwell.

Wall proponents will have a hard time with this book, probably asking for burning all digital copies circulating the internet right now. It either makes them think differently, or just rage about the author and his opinions. And this is what this book is, a lot of personal opinions of the people living along the border that separates San Diego County from Tijuana.

This is a clearly-written, enjoyable collection of interviews and experiences that the author put together as he spent time on both sides of the border as the US government contracts out 8 prototype walls on the US/Mexico border.  I appreciated the way the author stays in 'reporter mode' and doesn't get too much into propaganda.  There is a wide variety of subjects that are interviewed, and when you hear both sides of a story, it creates empathy.  With empathy, so many of these politically-charged issues become less black and white.  DW Gibson does a great job of showing the shades of gray involved in the border and immigration debate.

Living in San Diego for the last 3 years and this being a current issue, I felt this was a must read. The author talks and interviews many people on both sides of the wall and share their perspective. He even interviews troops and other security at the wall and shares their experiences and insights. Thoughtfully written and highly educational to learn about the construction of the wall and the lives it impacts.

If you want a hot topic to read about and learn about the border wall with a neutral perspective, this is you book!

Thanks to Netgalley, DW Gibson and Simon Schuster Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.. All opinions are my own.

A Perfect Companion to American Dirt..

If you are looking for more information on the immigration debate and the wall, this is an excellent resource. While being educational and informative, it was also extremely interesting. I found myself wanting to learn more about the people and the stories within the pages. This book offers multiple perspectives from inside this debate; varying from a marine to a border patrol agent to a Haitian refugee. My heart ached and bled from the struggle that is ensuing at the moment.

While I don't typically read Non-fiction, I definitely appreciated this novel. Although slow at times, it definitely picked up speed about a quarter of a way through. If you have the patience, don't give up on it. I'm glad I persevered.

If you enjoyed American Dirt and want to learn more about immigration and read about the debate told from a variety of perspectives, than this book is for you!