📖 American Dirt

A novel by Jeanine Cummins

August 26, 2025

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“For all her love of words, at times they’re entirely insufficient.”

— Jeanine Cummins, American Dirt​

What happens when ordinary life collides with extraordinary danger?

In Jeanine Cummins’ novel, American Dirt, a bookstore owner and her son flee across Mexico after a ruthless cartel shatters everything they know. Their journey, fraught with terror and hope, unearths the resilience tucked away in humans.

SMARTEST TAKEAWAYS
Lessons from American Dirt

1️⃣ Violence Shakes Ordinary Lives: When Lydia and her son Luca lose their family to cartel brutality, they’re forced out of their safe, everyday world. It’s a gut-punch reminder that violence doesn’t just haunt headlines—it changes the trajectories of real people in an instant.

2️⃣ Migration Requires Bravery and Grit: The pair’s escape north isn’t a simple trip—it’s a relentless gauntlet. From jumping onto dangerous freight trains (“La Bestia”) to navigating ruthless authorities and predators, Lydia, Luca and their companions show that risking everything for a future takes unimaginable bravery.

3️⃣ Connections Can Save Us: Friendships form fast when survival is on the line. Along the way, strangers become allies—sharing scraps of trust, empathy, and hope. The bonds forged on the run remind us how connection is a lifeline, even in the darkest hour.

Jeanine Cummins is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel, AMERICAN DIRT, which has been translated into 34 languages, and has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide

INSIGHTFUL EXAMPLE
Clinging to Hope at the Edge

Soledad and Rebeca—two teens traveling alongside Lydia and Luca—carry scars from violence and loss, yet find small sparks of kindness along the way. Whether it’s a helpful guide or a shared story, human compassion pierces through fear, proving resilience blooms where hope is nurtured.

BOOK FACTS
American Dirt

  • First published: January 21, 2020

  • Print length: 400 pages

  • Listening length: 16:43

  • Ratings: 4.6 Amazon, 4.4 Goodreads

  • Oprah Book Club selection

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