Latest Book Club Read: Enrique's Journey

Starting the first week of May, the book club that meets in our house will be reading and discussing Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario.

I have read the first 100 pages of this book and all I can say is that it is utterly heart-rending. It definitely accomplishes the goal of putting a face (faces, really) on the immigration issue, and is definitely something everyone should at least read the first even 20 pages of to understand the human side of the issue. It's loaded with facts as well. I can say that it's definitely challenged me to review how I think about this issue and the people it affects.

I noticed on the back of the book a website for the book, and I went there the other day and there's a page for How to Help. I was hoping for something like that - I'm also curious to see if there are any other ideas on how a person looking on from a distance like myself can help (aside from considering these issues when it comes time to vote for candidates).

There is an email address for the shelter in Southern Mexico. I thought that it might be appropriate to consider a free will offering from the book club -- but I thought perhaps before I organize something like that, I might email the contact person to find out if they accept donations and in what form they would be most useful. I'll toss the idea around at the next book club, and perhaps one of my spanish teacher friends could assist me in contacting the shelter.