I really enjoyed this one. Thank you, NetGalley for sharing this with me. I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more.

✨ Review ✨ Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of “Latino” by Héctor Tobar

Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux | MCD, Macmillan Audio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

I started this on audio last year but quickly abandoned it because I loved it so much. I needed a paper copy to be able to highlight and annotate in!

I picked this back up on paper and scribbled all throughout it because it's just such a wealth of thoughtful analogies (comparing US empire to empire in film and media), reflections on race and Latino identity, and really beautiful writing.

For example, he describes: "Race is an invention of long-dead ideologues and long-discredited scientists who collected skulls and told fairy tales about them...Race is a story we tell ourselves about one another." (9)

For me, this was most useful in thinking about the ways that "Latino" and other identity labels are used, and also the ways in which they are constructed and inadequate.

Along the way though, I enjoyed how he integrated pieces of his own life experiences alongside history and current issues, and this would make a perfect book to use in my classes to think about the impact of race and racialization in the US.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: nonfiction, some memoir, history, politics, race theory
Pub Date: 2023

Read this if you like learning about:
⭕️ the history of race and empire
⭕️ immigration
⭕️ Latinidad

Beautifully and powerfully written. A great narrator for a great book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

I found a lot of the ideas in this book really interesting. Tobar argues that race, much like gender is a performance, particularly in the Latino community as there is so much diversity about what it means to be Latino. Tobar uses examples from his old life and from interviews he’s compiled with people of a variety of Latinx identities, from Afro Caribbean to indigenous to “white passing” to support his point.

Essays range from a variety of topics, such as the US Mexican border and “illegals”, the concept of belonging in a community, undervalued labor, and more. I found most of the individual essays to be very interesting and impactful, but I struggled with the cohesion of the book. There was some thing missing that made it all really come together in the end for me. Maybe it’s because I was listening to it on audio, though the narrator is decent, or maybe it’s because I listened to it all at once rather than going through each essay more slowly.

That being said, I do recommend this book. I think the subject matter is interesting and important, and I’ll definitely be using some of the essays as jumping off points for further research.

Our Migrant Souls is a compilation of essays exploring Latino and immigrant identity in America. Having read several books exploring Black and indigenous identity (and race relations overall) in the US, I was thrilled about Tobar's newest book, as I felt it was the exact type of book I needed to fill a huge gap in my own reading life.

This book is approachable in its style but it does not hold back! Tobar's words are moving, the topics he discusses are intense; he probes at many important (and often overlooked) issues for the Latino and immigrant communities of the US. This is necessary reading.

This book was certainly interesting and definitely worth the read if for no other reason than there are few books like it that are readily available (at least in my area). In this book, Tobar (the author) explores and explains what it means to be Latino in America, both pre- and post-Trump.

Black voices have been rising in books and media over the last several years, but in my opinion, there's still a serious lack of Latinx/Hispanic voices out there. I've read fiction books by Hispanic and Latinx writers, but this is the first book of this kind that I've come across.

So, if you want to expand your boundaries and venture into literature by authors outside your race, I highly recommend this book for that reason alone.

As for the content, I was torn. Tobar shares many personal experiences and illustrates what life was like growing up in LA as the son of Guatemalan-born parents, He reaches out to his students and people in his community, as well, so it isn't strictly his voice we're reading.

He highlights some really important points, such as showcasing how American society constantly overlooks, ignores, and denigrates new immigrants and migrants and discounts their experiences and the sadness and turmoil they sometimes suffer. How no one really pays attention to the fact that they "don't fit in" anywhere -- especially those of mixed-race heritage.

He also does a great job of pointing out the strength of those immigrants who make it to America and built successful new lives. He illustrates the importance of programs like DACA and touches briefly on American politics concerning migrants and immigrants.

However, the book fell a little flat in some places. It was slow and didn't always keep my interest in certain spots. I'd find myself zoning out and having to go back and re-listen (I read the audiobook) to portions I'd already heard because I wasn't REALLY listening.

I also felt he didn't do enough to shine a light on the many positive contributions Latino and Hispanic people have made in, for, and to the United States. I suppose that wasn't really the goal of his book - he was taking a more person approach - but it still would have been nice.

I think the book was good; I think the book is important. And I hope it opens a doorway for many other Latinx/Hispanic writers, but I do think the pacing could have been a little better. And I think there were places where the book was a little too dry. Overall, though, still a good read.

I give it a solid 3.5 stars.

Our Migrant Souls by Héctor Tobar is a book I think everyone should read. I found this book incredibly compelling, insightful, moving, and thought provoking.

So what is this book about? I fear I’m going to do this book injustice trying to describe the profound impact this has left on me… it’s essentially about our history as Latinos, it’s a compilation of stories, essays, history, and pride about what it means to be Latino and all the stereotypes and negative connotations that go along with that. He does a wonderful job dissecting and exposing the true history of Latinos in this nation. I believe this should be a must read for everyone continuing to want to dismantle white supremacy and make a difference.

Thank you to Macmillan for the audio ARC! This was a compelling and relevant read. The author clearly put a lot of work into this book. The narrator was great and the audiobook was a breeze to listen to. The writing flowed well in the audiobook format, though I did think the pacing was a bit off at some sections.

This reflected on current issues and also discussed the historical context of said issues. I thought it was interesting to see where certain prejudices came from historically and how they have evolved over time.

There were personal stories throughout the book that added a lot of depth. The author's reflection on his personal experiences and the experiences of his family throughout generations were interesting and well written. I liked how he showed the differences between his experiences and the experiences of others through these stories. These different personal stories showed many ways of living and connecting with others in a community.

Some of this book was sad and heavy and some of it was heartwarming and positive. There was a wide range of topics and emotions covered throughout the text and I found each chapter to be informative, engaging, and valuable.

Our Migrant Souls was such a compelling read that offered important insights on what it means to be "Latino". I loved the background information provided and the way Hector Tobar seamlessly weaves in his personal family story and the stories of many other Latinos. As a Latina living in the US, I found this book to be vital in furthering my understanding of the truths and untruths associated with the term Latino or Latinx.

I recommend this book to all non-fiction lovers and especially to anyone who identifies with Latinidad.

Most discussions about race in US focus on black and white. This leaves people who identify as Latino, Latinx, or Hispanic invisible. With this book Tobar provides a corrective to this invisibility and celebrates of the diversity of Latino people and their contributions to the United States. Tobar argues that Latinos are not a monolithic group. They come from different countries, speak different languages, and have different cultures. But they are united by their shared experience of migration.

Tobar takes us on a journey through the United States, meeting Latinos from all walks of life. He shows us the power, pain, and beauty of Latino cultures. He urges us to see Latinos for who they are: a diverse and vibrant community that is essential to the United States. He also challenges us to confront the racism and xenophobia that Latinos face.

The book consists of essays, poetic in his prose. While I initially listened to the book on audio, I went back to parts of the physical book to annotate. I thought both formats were great, depending on how you prefer to interact with the topic. While this was the first book I've read by Tobar, I'm definitely going to be working through his backlog.

Thank you so much to FSG & MCDfor the ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this one.

This is a beautifully written almost prose-like non-fiction book meditating what it means to be a part of the latine community. As a queer person with mexican parents who’s lived the “ni de aqui ni de alla” life —always dealing with being perceived by the society we lived in as second class—this book made me feel full and truly grateful for the opportunity to listen to this ALC. Truly, I appreciate André’s non-descript spanish while he brings to life the words Hector had woven together. The cadence in his words also have a certain latinidad like listening to a family member talking deep stuff. So good!

5 stars. This is my first book by Tobar but I look forward to reading some of his fiction too. Tobar touches on so many facets of the people who have been gathered under the collective term Latinx. He travels the North and South American continents collecting stories that challenge the narrow boxes that most of Latinx culture is forced into by the media (even well-meaning activists) and politicians. He celebrates the nuanced experiences of people with varied backgrounds and the intersections of different communities of color and how they survive and thrive and also struggle. He confronts many of the paradoxes that Latinx communities face regularly. While Tobar doesn’t shy away from calling out racial injustices, the thing that comes out most clearly is the adaptability and pride of the people he writes about. The book is beautifully written and has a lot to digest. I highly recommend it.

I'm writing this review as I finish the advanced audiobook for this title. Our Migrant Souls is a song that will touch not just the migrants who have left their patria for better future, the ones who were born out of their tierra, also the ones who want to learn and empathize with us migrants. We we come from and our ancestors is with us until we die. This book was such a beautiful homage to that.

If you want a really comprehensive look at what it is like to be an immigrant today, read this. I appreciated the look at colonialism, racism, immigration policy etc. Tobar approached all topics with grace and approachability.

OKAY, I SCREAMED WHEN I GOT APPROVED FOR THIS ONE!

Like, I'm not kidding at all...

I always seek ways to awaken my horizons on other people's cultures. Being W H I T E, means I'm grandfathered into a privilege that I can use for good to spread awareness, stand up for minorities, and fight to the best of my ability. It all starts with education, and this book cracked the seal open into learning and informing how to be a better ally to groups that don't have the backing to raise their voice.

Héctor Tobar writes of the vast themes of colonialism and imperialism that have struck down Latino groups throughout history through misrepresentation, separation, deportation, and outright genocide, silencing generation after generation. Tobar discusses stories from undocumented families, DACA children, and oppressed youth. I was so captivated by the pure innocence with each narrative and look forward to unlocking more tales from this group of individuals.