One sentence summary
American Dirt (Oprah’s Book Club): A Novel by Jeanine Cummins is a page-turning, emotional and suspenseful story of a mother and son on the run from a cartel in Mexico.
Book genre
American Dirt (Oprah’s Book Club): A Novel by Jeanine Cummins is a suspenseful, literary fiction novel.
Main topic of the book
American Dirt (Oprah’s Book Club): A Novel by Jeanine Cummins is about a Mexican bookseller and her son as they run for their lives from the powerful Mexican drug cartel which has killed most of their family.
Key ideas
- The power of family: the novel follows the protagonist, Lydia, and her son Luca on their journey to find sanctuary and safety in the United States while trying to hold on to the importance of family and the strength of the bond they share.
- Breaking point: as they flee the cartel, Lydia and Luca experiences moments of immense fear, courage, and resilience; pushing them past their breaking point to survive, even as their hope of reaching safety quickly dims.
- Immigrant experience: the novel is a window into the immigrant experience and the difficult journeys that thousands of families go through each year to find safety in the US.
Main parts of the book and a short summary
American Dirt (Oprah’s Book Club): A Novel by Jeanine Cummins follows protagonist Lydia Quixano Pérez and her young son Luca as they flee their small town in Mexico following the deaths of most of their family. In their desperate escape, they take an infamous cargo train and eventually make their way to the United States. Along the way, they experience extreme poverty, fear, courage, and resilience. As their hope of reaching safety seems to diminish, they are faced with difficult moral decisions and a fight for their right to belong. In the end, they prove that even in the darkest times, the human spirit can stand tall and persevere.
Key takeaways
- The power of family bonds can transcend fear and poverty.
- Courage and resilience can emerge even in the darkest times.
- Immigrants make huge sacrifices and go through extreme hardships to find safety and a better life in the US.
Author’s background and qualifications
Jeanine Cummins is an author of both fiction and non-fiction books, as well as an adjunct professor. She was born in Spain, raised in Ireland, and currently lives in the United States. Her work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Belfast Telegraph. She is the author of five books, including American Dirt (Oprah’s Book Club): A Novel, which has been adapted into a film starring Reese Witherspoon.
Target audience
American Dirt (Oprah’s Book Club): A Novel by Jeanine Cummins is geared towards adults, particularly those interested in exploring themes of family, courage, resilience, and immigration.
Publisher and first publication date
American Dirt (Oprah’s Book Club): A Novel by Jeanine Cummins was published by Flatiron Books on January 21, 2020.