BOOKS TO READ IN 2010 (and one DVD)

I've compiled this short list of books about migration which have impressed me because they quite pointedly address migration's very human dimensions. They are not new, but are very compelling and worth reading if you have an interest in this subject.

Luis Alberto Urrea, The Devil's Highway (2004) is the painful yet enlightening story of 26 Mexican men who slowly died of heat while attempting to cross into the U.S. after their smuggler abandoned them to the fierce elements of the scorching Arizona desert. While the book is written as a documentary account of a true event that occured in May 2001, its author is also a talented novelist, and thus the work is thoroughly descriptive and quite emotional. This story presents a critically important point of view in the debate about immigration from Mexico.

Dave Eggers, What is the What: the Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng (2006) is a "best-selling" and harrowing account of the life of one of Southern Sudan's "Lost Boys" and his journey from Sudan to Kenya, and ultimately as a refugee to the U.S.

I have represented a couple of "Lost Boys" who were unfortunately convicted of crimes after their admission to this country as refugees. It is clear to me that the criminal behavior in those matters was directly attributable to the men's previous exposure to incomprehensible brutality, and obviously, they are not alone. For many of the refugees who seek peace and stability in the U.S., there are personally destructive consequences which may result from their past sufferings. I wish more could be done to assist psychologically traumatized individuals who arrive to this country. We have a moral obligation to address the mental turmoil caused by war, barbaric violence, and any past persecution refugees have endured so that they may all lead more emotionally healthy lives. It is in the best interest of our society as a whole to do so since, as we already know, scarred souls may turn to alcohol, drugs and violence to assuage their lingering pain, and this will ultimately cost us all.

Edwidge Danticat, Brother, I'm Dying (2007) is by a wonderfully gifted writer of Haitian descent whose body of work offers a marvelous look at long-suffering, but proud Haiti and her people, culture and history. The title reflects the author's beloved uncle's last words to an immigration officer when he was apprehended and detained while legally entering the U.S. The book details the uncle's remarkable life in his native country and how he came to land in Miami on that fateful day. It is an important contribution to the current discussion about detention standards in the U.S. and the deaths of over one hundred migrants in the past few years while held in the custody of the U.S. Government. See, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/us/10detain.html?pagewanted=1&hp

Of course, anyone who has never read the Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck should do so. This American classic defines migration and the overwhelming poverty and desperation which universally leads to it and will continue to do so as long as the world remains a place of marked differences between the obscenely rich and abject poor.

Finally, the way in which the aforementioned books affected me, the striking film Sin Nombre (R, 2009) equally impressed me. Here is a description of the film from Netflix:
"Fleeing retaliation from the violent Central American street gang he has deserted, young hood Casper boards a northbound train, where he takes refuge on top of the moving freight cars and hopes for a fresh start in a new country. Dodging authorities and other dangers, he finds a new friend in Sayra, a Honduran girl also making a run for the American border. Cary Fukunaga directs this exciting thriller."

The film, in Spanish with English subtitles, depicts a growing debate in immigration law about whether former gang members, fleeing the life-threatening consequences of abandoning or betraying their gang, should be offered asylum protection in the United States. The touching film is violent and disturbing at times, but such a story cannot be accurately told without these components.