Diary of an Undocumented Immigrant

Translated from the Spanish by Dick J. Reavis, this is a highly literate autobiographical account of survival as a "wetback" or "mojado", to use the author's own words. The narration begins with Tianguis' life in rural central Mexico and follows his trials, tribulations and surprises in crossing the border with the help of "coyotes", and making his way to menial jobs in Houston, San Antonio, Los Angeles and Chicago. Diary affords the reader an unexpurgated look at the United States, its economy and culture from the perspective of that so often maligned and misunderstood immigrant: the undocumented worker.