The New Americans: Seven Families Journey to Another Country

By Rubén Martínez

Book Overview

Spanning four continents and several years in the lives of seven immigrant families, The New Americans is at once the most globe-trotting and intimate introduction to the new American immigration. Emmy Award-winning journalist Rub n Mart nez's "powerful and perceptive chronicle" (Booklist) lyrically recounts the dramatic voyages and day-to-day experiences of a small group of families who were featured in the PBS documentary of the same name. They come from Mexico, Nigeria, Palestine, India, and the Dominican Republic, and wind up in Chicago, Montana, Silicon Valley, and the California badlands. Their stories--told with "enthralling" (Publishers Weekly) literary skill and illustrated with stunning portraits from award-winning photographer Joseph Rodriguez--paint a portrait of the new, multicultural America.

Martinez weaves his own family's moving immigrant history into the book, and essays on the films of Indian American director Mira Nair, the contemporary corridos of Mexican border musicians Los Tigres del Norte, and other immigrant artists explore the ways the new immigrant culture is transforming the United States.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 156584792X
• ISBN13: 9781565847927
• Release Date: March 2004
• Publisher: New Press
• Length: 251 Pages
• Weight: 1.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Must read for better understanding

Martinez adds detail and insight into the stories of families featured on this PBS series. The video available from PBS and his book provide an excellent combination for educators, community leaders, and the general public to better appreciate the strengths and resolve immigrants bring to this country as well as the barriers, obstacles, and prejudices they face from those whose families came to the nation in earlier times.

Excellent stories of survival and cultural adjustment evolve

Nicely illustrated with the photography of Joseph Rodriguez, New Americans by Ruben Martinez recounts the dramatic journeys of seven new immigrant families to America, and their settling in this country; from an Asian couple from the computer industry of India to a Mexican family working meatpacking plants in Kansas. Excellent stories of survival and cultural adjustment evolve.

The best in cultural criticism today

As an avid reader of Martinez's works, I feel that he has reached a new level with The New Americans. This book beautifully and thoughtfully weaves together the contested narratives of immigrants, works of cultural production and personal reflection into a polyvocal conversation that leaves the reader wanting more.