Amazon.com: The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border: 9780735217713: Cantú, Francisco: Books

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NAMED A TOP 10 BOOK OF 2018 BY NPR and THE WASHINGTON POST
WINNER OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE IN CURRENT INTEREST
FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE NONFICTION AWARD

The instant New York Times bestseller, "A must-read for anyone who thinks 'build a wall' is the answer to anything." --Esquire

For Francisco Cantú, the border is in the blood: his mother, a park ranger and daughter of a Mexican immigrant, raised him in the scrublands of the Southwest. Driven to understand the hard realities of the landscape he loves, Cantú joins the Border Patrol. He and his partners learn to track other humans under blistering sun and through frigid nights. They haul in the dead and deliver to detention those they find alive. Plagued by a growing awareness of his complicity in a dehumanizing enterprise, he abandons the Patrol for civilian life. But when an immigrant friend travels to Mexico to visit his dying mother and does not return, Cantú discovers that the border has migrated with him, and now he must know the full extent of the violence it wreaks, on both sides of the line.

Print length

256 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Riverhead Books
Publication date

February 6, 2018
Dimensions

5.7 x 0.9 x 8.52 inches
ISBN-10

0735217718
ISBN-13

978-0735217713
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Customer reviews

2,659 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers find the content elucidating, unique, and profound. They describe the writing quality as well-written, thoughtful, and beautifully composed. Readers describe the book as engaging and serious. They also find the story heartbreaking, sad, and complex. They appreciate the visual quality, describing the landscape perfectly. Opinions differ on whether the book is humanizing or crude and unnecessary.

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Insight Writing quality Readability Heartbreaking story Visual quality Timing Humanizing Pacing

94 customers mention "Insight"94 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's insight elucidating, informative, and important. They say it provides a unique perspective on the border controversy, is profound, and heartwarming. Readers also mention the author has an interesting story to tell.

"This book provides a unique perspective on the border controversy...." Read more

"...contemporary stereotypes to craft a beautiful and compelling story of the human condition. His story is factual...." Read more

"...The book was rather informative on the topic of immigration and border security...." Read more

"Francisco Cantu has a very interesting story to tell...." Read more

94 customers mention "Writing quality"82 positive12 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book well-written, thoughtful, and beautifully composed. They describe the author as credible and insightful. Readers also mention the book is heartfelt and honest.

"...Cantú’s writing style is refreshing. An air of spirituality permeated the book; to an extent, it was reminiscent of the writing of Carlos Castaneda...." Read more

"...But a little class would be nice. This is a well-written book and worth the read especially in today's world...." Read more

"This is a beautifully composed book which offers the reader a nuanced look at the tragedy of a non-belonging...." Read more

"...The immigrant stories were genuine and heartfelt...." Read more

88 customers mention "Readability"88 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very worthwhile, engaging, and serious. They say it's a compelling memoir that will change the way they think about the US/Mexico border issues. Readers also mention it's a quick and informative read with an easy narrative.

"...Otherwise, very good book. I highly recommend picking it up if this is a subject that you are interested in...." Read more

"...Cantú crafted a fabulous book that was easy to read, but hard to put down...." Read more

"...But a little class would be nice. This is a well-written book and worth the read especially in today's world...." Read more

"...in learning more about the border, I highly recommend this compelling memoir." Read more

17 customers mention "Heartbreaking story"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the story heart-wrenching, sad, and complex. They say it's sensitive to its subjects and beautifully composed. Readers also mention the book brings them to tears on many occasions.

"...Beautiful, thoughtful prose. A devastating account of what it means to live in the shadows and the tragic choices one makes out of love for one’s..." Read more

"...This portrayal of the border between Mexico and the United States was personal and heartfelt...." Read more

"An engaging and serious read, well written and sensitive to his subjects...his love, anguish and conflcting sensibilities guided by visits with his..." Read more

"...A sad but important book to read. We need reform so very badly. We can do it and must. But not until we elect more courageous politicians." Read more

16 customers mention "Visual quality"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book visually appealing, with a haunting and beautiful landscape. They say it paints an accurate picture of the issues with the current immigration system. Readers also mention the book does a great job at showing multiple sides of the problems.

"...His story is factual. It is a multifaceted presentation about the real conditions faced by Border Patrol agents on the front lines and by the..." Read more

"...I felt that the book did a great job at showing multiple sides of the problems that it brought up...." Read more

"...After the first chapter, i was hooked! Beautiful, thoughtful prose...." Read more

"...All the tiime, the book is fresh with imagery and metaphore - so very well written." Read more

7 customers mention "Timing"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book timely. They also appreciate the focus on our northern border.

"The attractiveness of this book is the timely focus on our northern boarder...." Read more

"...It is exceptionally timely and thought provoking." Read more

"...One of the most honest and heartfelt sagas of life on the border. Extremely timely!" Read more

"...Timely and pertinent." Read more

9 customers mention "Humanizing"5 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's humanizing. Some mention it's painful, but it's humanizing. Others say it's irrelevant, crude, and not helpful.

"...I would love to meet the author one day. His intelligence, humanity and the ability to tell a powerful story is a gift to us all." Read more

"...Its crude and unnecessary and I don't understand it. I know the Border Control heroically performs a very necessary job...." Read more

"...It's a masterpiece of empathy, of humanity." Read more

"...This book cries, rightfully, but without a stated purpose." Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some mention it's intensely moving, while others say the storyline drags and the subject matter jumps around from paragraph to paragraph.

"I found my reading experience here to be both moving and valuable...." Read more

"Started out ok but then storyline kinda dragged and then centered on specific illegal immigrants plight...." Read more

"...Deeply thoughtful, moving, and carefully crafted" Read more

"Story got very convoluted and hard to follow...." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

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Elisa and Teddy

Very insightful and thoughtful book that helps humanize and understand the complex nature of immigration issues today.

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2018

Verified Purchase

As a strongly conservative person, I was ready to delve into this book anticipating a strong liberal bias that would label me a bigot. I was ready to feel outraged as yet another person would, in print no less, tell me how I just don’t understand what is going on with regards to the immigration issue. While I know that I can’t fully understand Jose’s plight, I can surely empathize and sympathize with him and for him. It was a relief to me to be surprised by Francisco Cantu’s book.

I lived in the Rio Grande Valley for 47 years and have seen firsthand the complexities involved in this issue. My brother was killed when a group of Mexican teenagers and their polleros were evading the police. The car they were in T-boned my brothers car at an intersection and cut him in two.

A very good friend of mine, Hispanic as well, is a Border patrol agent. He qualified himself to work on the Rio Grande River in boats, on ATV out in the field and has also worked at the US Border Patrol sector headquarters. We spoke often, way before this book, about the things he has seen and done throughout his years as a CBP agent. How they are always being watched by lookouts from the south side of the river as they patrol the US side. He described the smell of decomposing bodies left behind in the brush land, or finding people under the full effect of heat stroke. He has told me about the taunts they receive as the polleros just escape back across the river. Cantu’s book reminded me a lot of my friend’s recollections. It also help me understand a little more of why he won’t speak too much about his feelings. I sense he is empathetic towards those he has stopped and believe he has genuine sympathy for them, but he also insists that what he is doing needs to be continued. He feels that even if stopping 1000 crossers only yields a few really dangerous people, he has improved life for His family on the US side.

Living in Dallas for 3 1/2 years now, I have seen how much of it is being built by undocumented people. I know people, who like Jose stay under the radar by working and going home, day after day, and strive to live in peace. Some of them submitting themselves to unjust treatment because it is a better alternative than going back to their home country. I have been surprised at this treatment because it comes, many times, at the hands of Latinos who are fortunate enough to have legal status.

This issue is very complex, and it angers me when people and politicians distill it down to platitudes. This has been done for far too long by people on every side of the argument. Usually, it has been done for personal gain and without any real knowledge of what it is like to live in an area affected by this, or any real knowledge of the people living through this.

Thank you Mr. Cantu for writing this book, I wept through many sections and it has given me some resolve to help where I can. If anyone has strong feelings on either side of the immigration and citizenship problems of the US, I urge you to add this book to your references on the subject.

487 people found this helpful

Helpful

Cheap Is The *New* Classy

Unique perspective from both sides

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023

Verified Purchase

This book provides a unique perspective on the border controversy. First, the writer speaks from his experience spent working in Border Patrol, both as an on-the-ground agent and someone working behind the scenes at a desk. Second, his family is of Mexican descent, thus giving the author a view that most of us will never have of this issue. I admired his ability to look at this issue from differing sides and all of the work that he did to help someone in need toward the end [without giving away too much or providing spoilers].

My only issue with this book is the lack of quotation marks. There were pages of conversations in this book, without a quotation mark to be found anywhere. What's the deal? The author had a Bachelor's as of the writing of this book and was contemplating a Master's. I KNOW he had to have done papers requiring quotations somewhere in his college experience. Also, was there no editor?

The Master's he was contemplating was something to do with writing or English, if I remember correctly, too. Sir, you need to brush up on your high school level English first.

Otherwise, very good book. I highly recommend picking it up if this is a subject that you are interested in. And if the lack of quotation marks won't drive you nuts. ;)

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2018

Verified Purchase

Living in the shadow of the border for many years, I was anxious to see what Mr. Cantú had to say. His book exceeded my greatest expectations. He cut through contemporary stereotypes to craft a beautiful and compelling story of the human condition. His story is factual. It is a multifaceted presentation about the real conditions faced by Border Patrol agents on the front lines and by the illegal immigrants themselves. After reading the book, I came away a bit more understanding of the agents who are often driven into hardened shells by the realities of their jobs and the cold dictates of a political system where there’s little room for humanity.

Cantú’s writing style is refreshing. An air of spirituality permeated the book; to an extent, it was reminiscent of the writing of Carlos Castaneda. Cantú crafted a fabulous book that was easy to read, but hard to put down. The story didn’t end as I would have liked, but reality rarely accommodates my personal wishes. Such is the nature of the real world.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

M. James

You'll need a strong stomach to get through this book

Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2018

Verified Purchase

Since Trump got in office the Border Control has become like an entity unto itself. They don't seem to listen to governors, senators, or elected representatives. In one case early on it seemed they didn't pay attention to a judge's order. So I was interested to read this narrative from someone who had been a Border Control Officer, to see it from the inside as it were. While I understand they have a job to do, do they have to urinate on peoples' belongings and overturn water jugs putting peoples lives at risk? Its crude and unnecessary and I don't understand it. I know the Border Control heroically performs a very necessary job. But a little class would be nice. This is a well-written book and worth the read especially in today's world. Will we ever find out what happened to Jose or is the story still unfolding?

13 people found this helpful

Helpful

JulieG

average

Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2023

Verified Purchase

ok read, it bounced around a lot and I expected more of an analysis of the immigration system. I appreciated the telling of how border patrol works but I was expecting a little more “this is why our immigration system is broken and here are some ways we could improve it.” Then the last chapter where it was Jose’s voice was such a change. It was a nice chapter but out of line with the rest of the book.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

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Marcus Twainus

Ich habe das geliebt. Dies ist ein gut geschriebenes Buch eine sensible Autor.

Reviewed in Germany on October 18, 2020

Verified Purchase

Dieses Buch wurde von unserem "Führer" in einem Buchclub vorgeschlagen.
Die Mutter des Autors, eine Rangerin des US-Nationalparks, war ein herausragender Charakter. Sie unterrichtete ihren Sohn über Geographie, Wetter, Tiere und Pflanzen in der Gegend um den Rio Grande an der US-Grenze neben Mexiko.
Diese Beschreibungen sind wunderbar.
Auf der anderen Seite gibt es in dieser Gegend verzweifelt arme Menschen, Drogenschmuggler, die Intimadation und Gewalt anwenden. Obwohl ich die illegale Einwanderung nicht für gut halte, habe ich das Gefühl, endlich die Geschichte der illegalen Einwanderung zu verstehen.

This book was suggested by our "leader" at a book club.
The author's mother, a US National Park ranger, was an outstanding character. She taught her son about the geography, weather, animals & plants of the area around the Rio Grande River on the US border next to Mexico.
These descriptions are wonderful.
On the other hand, this area has desperately poor people, drug smugglers who use intimadation & violence. While I do not think illegal immigration is good, I feel I finally understand the illegal immigrant's story.

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Amazon Customer

Good book

Reviewed in Canada on February 27, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent story about the struggles on the southern US border. Coming from a former Border agent grounds the story with personal experiences. Well worth a read.

F. VALDES Perezgasga

Un libro necesario

Reviewed in Mexico on February 11, 2018

Verified Purchase

De entrada, dos sorpresas para destrozar mitos: Un ex-policía compasivo, un ex-policía que sabe escribir y lo hace muy bien. Recomendable para usamericanos y para mexicanos pues su lectura nos acerca un poco más al conocimiento de lo que nos divide y de lo que nos une.

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Pica seca

Crónica humana de una frontera.

Reviewed in Spain on August 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

--Estamos ante las vivencias de un agente de fronteras estadounidense de 23 años origen hispano, culto y, especializado en relaciones internacionales, el cual quiso conocer de manera empírica la frontera con México.
-- Por ello el libro nos ofrece las duras experiencias personales del autor, el racismo, la muerte en la carretera, la caza del pobre, su hacinamiento y la inexcusable defensa del estado, mostrando claramente la pléyade de perfiles que están implicados, pudiendo trasladar estas experiencias al caso europeo.
-- Lo que queda claro es que con las medidas actuales NO se va a solucionar un problema que está ya en nuestras narices ante el cual los populistas poco o nada pueden hacer. El autor no deja de lado el explicar el rostro humano bueno/malo de todos aquellos que cruzan el borde. Algo digno de agradecer son las explicaciones de los tratados de los que extraeremos la idea clara del atropello cometido contra México y, la belleza en la descripción de los paisajes, del malpaís, llamado así por los Españoles
-- Las cosas que podrían mejorarse en el libro son las siguientes: Con mapas hubiera sido un libro muy acertado, en ocasiones el autor cansa debido al intentos de explicar sus emociones y sin duda alguna, está mucho mejor la versión en inglés que la versión traducida al español.

-- First of all, I prefer this English Version than the Spanish version, It is better portrayed. This cronics near us to the frontier life, showing up life and death, misery, criminals and the human tragedy across the borders. The experience can be usefull for any border in the world, specially those who split a rich country from a poor country.
-- I enjoyed this cronics yet so, at the middle of the book It takes me an efford for finish it. perhaps all the ninth surround the officer caused it. Anyway, Its a worth read if you want to know more about the border, and based in experience, what it is to be appreciated.

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Kaze

Sad and poetic, in a good way

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2018

Verified Purchase

This book is beautifully written and gives the reader more context and understanding for the issues on the US border with Mexico from the viewpoint of a Latino border patrol agent. Francisco Cantú tells the story of his time working on the border and the history of it in such a deeply personal and poetic way it makes the book more than a political exploration of a current issue and turns it almost into poetry.

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