La Migra me hizo los mandados

by Alicia Alarcon

Overview

Literary Nonfiction. Latino/Latina Studies. In 1979, Mexican President Jose Lopez Portilla assured his compatriots that the prosperity of the petroleum boom would reach every corner of the Republic of Mexico. The mother of the narrator in the first passage in LA MIGRA ME HIZO LOS MANDADOS asks, "Do you believe what the president says?" The young narrator listens agape at the president's statements, while his work-weary parents contemplate a trip to el Norte. When the promised prosperity doesn't reach the corners of San Luis Potosi, the narrator sets out with his father to try to improve their finances. In these pages, radio personality Alicia Alarcon collects the footsteps of these travelers, listeners invited to share their experiences as migrants to the United States, through their flight and their falls. These difficult and gritty stories are the stories of the successful, the ones who make it across, past the natural and the bureaucratic obstacles along the border, only to scratch together lives on the other side.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781558853676
Publisher:	Arte Publico Press
Publication date:	10/28/2002
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Language:	Spanish

Table of Contents

	Elangel negro	1
	Me llamo Pedro Infante y el...Jorge Negrete	15
	Unos nachos para llevar	31
	Vi como la violaban	45
	Los asesinatos eran algo comun	59
	Solo pensaba en Disneylandia	75
	Llegamos al pueblo "Gracias a Dios"	83
	Luna de miel en el camino	87
	Un descuento por decir la verdad	96
	La vieja besucona	103
	Arrojo la lombriz del susto	109
	Bajeme, o lo agarro a cachetadas!	112
	Me vendio con el armenio	120
	A la muchacha de Nicaragua se la llevo el rio	129
	Dios nos desaparecio de la Migra	134
	Nos faltaron 1,400 quetzales	136
	El disparo cayo enseguida de mi	140
	Mis primas llegaron de California	145
	Todo lo hice por el...y me traiciono	147
	Por amor a mi "princess"	158
	Recien habia dado a luz	164
	Los sonadores no se dan por vencidos	167
	Nos vienen siguiendo!	169
	Mi historia es como la de tantos ninos	171
	Un paquete de tortillas fue nuestro alimento	175
	Serian las plumas en el sombrero?	177
	Los del norte llegan muy "pipirisnais"	181
	Me dijeron que se ganaba mucho	183
	Aterrizamo en Francia y no en Nueva Yol	185

Editorial Reviews

U.S. radio personality Alarc"n invited Latino listeners to describe their illegal crossings into the United States. The resulting collection of 30 narratives includes tragic and heart-wrenching anecdotes, like that of a young man who witnesses the brutal rape of three women by some cruel coyotes (border-crossing guides) and the testimony of a second man who witnesses the drowning of a Nicaraguan woman at a river crossing. Other stories, however, stand out for their irony and humor. When caught by the migra, or immigration authorities, two men give the names of famous Mexican actors instead of their own. The authorities, of course, miss the joke entirely. The language throughout maintains an oral quality so that one can almost hear the individuals narrating their stories. In one case, for instance, a woman who flies to the United States intersperses the decisions she makes during her journey with the formal prayers and supplications of a devout Roman Catholic. But even as the conversational style gives authenticity to the tales, it sometimes leads to chronicles obscured by too many details and descriptions. There is great variety of stories, though, and, overall, this is a worthwhile read. This wonderful firsthand description of the immigration experience is recommended for public and academic libraries and bookstores. Sonia Merubia, Benson Latin American Collection, Univ. of Texas, Austin Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Criticas