W3 Book Club-American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
by Teri E. Popp & Laura Chin, Tastemakers in Residence
W3 Book Club ladies thrive by being a part of each other’s lives. That can be difficult during a worldwide pandemic. But the club has reached out to each other in innovative and clever ways, bringing friendship and support to each other during these difficult times.
Our book club co-hosts, Laura C. and Debbie, did it in style by assembling gift bags to help us get in the mood for our 150th get together for W3! They then drove around and delivered them to each of us in advance of our virtual meeting. The bags contained an assortment of items included to make us think of balmy beaches and sun-kissed seascapes, such as:
Mr. & Mrs. T Margarita Mix (I must admit, this single serving can be really an excellent tasting mix that I drank without alcohol!)
Casamigos Tequila from Jalisco, Mexico
Trader Joe’s Organic Nacho Flavored Corn Tortilla Chips
Kirkland Individually Packaged Guacamole
Himalayan Sea Salt Shot Glasses
Since the ladies couldn’t actually be together or travel for book club, due to Covid 19, we, once again, cut and pasted ourselves into tropical Mexican locales for our costumes and photos!
Our hosts made sure to keep us on track with book club questions regarding this riveting tale of a mother and son seeking asylum in the United States after 16 members of their family were slaughtered by a drug cartel. The book brings to light many of the obstacles migrants face in making the arduous trip; however, it should be noted that this book has received much criticism and was panned by Hispanic reviewers who claimed it was not an accurate depiction of Mexico or Mexicans. Oprah Winfrey presented two one-hour Apple TV podcasts focusing on the book and the criticisms.
After a spirited conversation regarding the book, we all agreed that the themes it covered were topical and that it opened our eyes up to many issues facing the Hispanic communities of our nation and abroad. We finished the evening with a final toast to good friends, both here and in the world at large.
Note: Other books that cover the migrant experience and are specifically written by Latinx writers may be found at https://www.texasobserver.org/17-great-books-on-the-border-to-read-instead-of-american-dirt/