Mexican voices of the border region /

This in-depth study of the quotidian lives of Mexican dwellers in the Mexico-US borderlands focuses on the triad of border crossers, those who attempted to cross, and those who yearned to cross. The spotlight is the twin city expanse of Tijuana-San Diego. Extensive interviews of women and men present a different portrait of the maligned border imagery. What emerges from the collaborative narratives of researches and interviewees are life experiences that evidence the harshness of the current economic recession and enduring hope amid despair. These life histories expose readers to the pervasiveness of gender, ethnic, and class inequities in Mexican society, which do not vanish at the border line. A balancing forte of the book is the account of US-born children of Mexican immigrants. These life stories illustrate how the border creates a conundrum across a geopolitical line; Mexicans are and are not like one another. Well researched and documented, readable and fascinating. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates, graduates, and specialists. M. S. Arbelaez University of Nebraska at Omaha