Cantu addresses the harsh realities of racism, poverty and Viet Nam without bashing you over the head with strident platitudes. The framework structure coupled with family album snaphots make the book fascinating and truly accessible for a variety of readers. One need not have grown up in los dos Laredos or along the U.S.--Mexican border to identify with this work; one need only be aware of the variety of borders constructed or imposed upon our lives.

This is a beautifully written memoir by one of our best Chicana writers. Seizing upon Roland Barthes's writings on photography, Cantu reconstructs her childhood on the U.S./Mexican border, teaching us that the border itself is an artificial barrier. This is a moving story of an American family that has worked hard and sacrificed much. We can only hope that the rest of America will recognize sooner than later the enormous contributions to U.S. history made by Mexican Americans.

THIS IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF ETHONOGRAPHY. SHE TOUCHES THE HEART AND EXPANDS THE SOUL. THE SECTION CALLED TITO, BRINGS THE PAIN HOME. A FANTASTIC DEMONSTRATION OF LIFE AND HISTORY ON THE FRONTERA