Our Traveling Shelf discussion

Wow! This book was incredible. It was so eye opening and made the journey that some people take so real. I really enjoyed how Sonia didn't try to make a novel out of this story- she kept it in a journalist style and stuck to the facts. I think it made it a lot more impactful because the reader can trust that what she's writing is the truth. Some of the experiences that she wrote about literally made me cringe. It's incredible how many children decide to take the journey alone just to try and get to their mothers. There are obviously a lot of stereotypes surrounding illegal immigrants, especially with the recently appointed new president and I think a book like this should be widely read. I enjoyed that Sonia didn't defend illegal immigration. Instead she touched on points like supporting democratic governments in Latin America, something which the US has historically NOT done. There's definitely a lot of work left to be done but I think if we can better understand the reasons why people are coming through stories like this and then maybe come up with some sort of solution.

In term of Enrique, I appreciated that Sonia wrote about him as he was and didn't try to justify any of his actions. It definitely makes sense that his relationship with his mother wouldn't be what he expected when he got there even though I was happy when it turned out ok and a little surprised that many children never get past the resentment towards their mothers.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Even though I've heard from people that have made the journey, it's never been as detailed as this. I'm glad that she actually took the journey and have a lot of respect for her. I think everything needs to read this book, especially since it's such a relevant topic today.

This was a really interesting book. I read it in about two days and I really loved seeing a different point of view of not just why people leave their home countries, but how it affects their personal life. Enrique’s moms story of being in the Unites States was depressing because even though she worked hard to support her children, it never seemed to be enough for her to go back home. The thought that one can leave and come back later when they have saved enough money doesn’t sound hard, but life happens and it takes money to live out here as well. His resentment towards her I believed was unjustified because she didn’t abandoned them completely, she sent money for him to have a good life. But I also do believe she should have been more honest with them about her coming back and shouldn’t have given them hope.

Enrique’s attitude after he got in to the United States also annoyed me because for the first three or so years he was there, he was just having fun and not saving his money. He did get his wife and daughter up to the United States and he got his shit together, and I think it helped him understand his mother’s struggle better. Arriving in the United States wasn’t what Enrique visualized it would be, or being with his mother, but he is one of the few who did get through and he came to appreciate that fact.

Enrique’s journey is something that I don’t think about very often or even hear about. I know many Hispanics who have crossed the border in various way, I myself am one but I was a child and can’t take credit for the journey. I remember news clips about people moving up Mexico on trains and how the Mexican government was trying to handle it, but since my family is from Mexico, that is something I’m not familiar with. There is a good movie called Sin Nombre and it’s a story about a girl starting from Honduras going north and it was one of my first experiences with that kind of journey. Reading this book, I realized that it can be much harder and can take multiple times and is a very dangerous journey even as a young man.

Sorry, I'm joining in a little late! With finals and some family emergencies, I had to put off reading for a little bit.

Anyways, this book was truly eye-opening! Immigration has been a topic that has dominated politics and the news for quite some time. Honestly, prior to reading this book, I didn't really comprehend how dangerous and risky the journey was. Of course, I knew that it wasn't easy but reading Sonia Nazario's well researched and well-written work gave me perspective and insight. I think with all of the attention and politics, immigrants were de-humanized. It just became an issue, something that had to be dealt with. But reading this book truly opened my eyes to realize that these are people, including many women and children, that make these treacherous journies just to have a shot at a better life. A life that probably you and I wouldn't even consider a "good" life. The pain and suffering of the journey is REAL and the sad part is that even after the journey, what seems like the hardest part at first, there are so many challenges. The psychological trauma is so damaging that so many children who make the journey fall into drugs or gangs. They even leave behind their own children and families back home. It seems to be a vicious cycle.

Both my parents are immigrants and as a first generation American, I realize the cultural and social differences that exist within the home. My parents came to America for a better life, a better opportunity. Enrique and his mother any many, many others journey to America for the same reasons. I honestly don't know what the solution could be but the way things right now don't seem right. It breaks my heart.

At first, the "journalist" type of flow was a bit annoying but I liked how Nazario tried to stay as neutral as possible. The book read smoothly and was presented in a way that read like a story but didn't feel like fiction. I, too, was really annoyed by Enrique's behavior in many parts of the story, but when I really tried to understand him (which I couldn't possibly understand a fraction of his experiences), I couldn't help but feel sorry for him and others like him. I can't imagine how it would feel to go through the experiences he went through. I can't help but feel thankful for the life I have now. I am definitely changed after reading this book.