White author writes about the Mexican experience, in 'American Dirt'
White Author Jeanine Cummins writes about the Mexican experience in her latest book 'American Dirt'.
- She received a 7 figure book deal for this
- Spoke of the migrants at the Mexican border being portrayed as a 'faceless brown mass', which she said she 'wanted to give these people a face'.
- Promotes that she married an undocumented immigrant. Her husband is Irish.
Excuse me but wtf is this. pic.twitter.com/8db9rmsuvw
- Shy (@ShyForce) January 20, 2020
A few authors of colour are rightfully not happy about it.
Amazing review below outlining the bullshittery that is Dirt.
This writer wrote a fake ass social justice book. Don't read it because it a) the pinche book sucks and b) it will turn you stupid. Do, however, read my bitchy critique https://t.co/WAaR3ZGs6Y
- Myriam Chingona Gurba de Serrano (@lesbrains) December 12, 2019
Even though Cummins wrote in 2015 New York Times: “I don’t want to write about race. What I mean is, I really don’t want to write about race…I am white… I’ll never know the impotent rage of being profiled or encounter institutionalized hurdles to success because of my skin or hair or name.”
Authors weigh in.
Celeste Ng
“White folks and other non-Mexican Americans in the US: you CANNOT judge for yourselves whether American Dirt is authentic. You’re going to have to trust Mexicans and Chicanx folks. I know that runs counter to the upbringing of so many. Pero ni modo. That’s too bad.” https://t.co/9O4HKZuMtw
- Celeste Ng (@pronounced_ing) January 20, 2020
Porochista Khakpour
so look, publishing, here is how it goes: if you starve a bunch of talented writers of color-try to tuck them away all indie & obscure-but then dump the millions you supposedly do not have (lol) on white writers who are basically ripping off their lives, a problem you will have!
- porochista khakpour (@PKhakpour) January 21, 2020
Alex Sayf Cummings
It’s not surprising because the work is so good, but it’s still awesome that @lesbrains’ epic destruction of #AmericanDirt has become so much the center of the discussion of the crazy hyped novel. The traffic at @TropicsM has gone through the roof https://t.co/weZXJlnVTl
- Alex Sayf Cummings🌹 (@akbarjenkins) January 18, 2020
David Bowles
Not only is American Dirt an insulting work of inaccurate cultural appropriation, a pastiche of every possible stereotype ...
... it also just sucks in terms of literary quality. Parul Sehgal rips it to shreds in this review.
Don't buy it. Don't accept it. Don't praise it. https://t.co/Q9aDYzFn9v
- David Bowles (Mācuīl Ehēcatl) (@DavidOBowles) January 17, 2020
this damn book is sitting at 4.56 on goodreads and all the reviews are yts praising this as an eye opening piece of literature. i can't.
Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- She received a 7 figure book deal for this
- Spoke of the migrants at the Mexican border being portrayed as a 'faceless brown mass', which she said she 'wanted to give these people a face'.
- Promotes that she married an undocumented immigrant. Her husband is Irish.
Excuse me but wtf is this. pic.twitter.com/8db9rmsuvw
- Shy (@ShyForce) January 20, 2020
A few authors of colour are rightfully not happy about it.
Amazing review below outlining the bullshittery that is Dirt.
This writer wrote a fake ass social justice book. Don't read it because it a) the pinche book sucks and b) it will turn you stupid. Do, however, read my bitchy critique https://t.co/WAaR3ZGs6Y
- Myriam Chingona Gurba de Serrano (@lesbrains) December 12, 2019
Even though Cummins wrote in 2015 New York Times: “I don’t want to write about race. What I mean is, I really don’t want to write about race…I am white… I’ll never know the impotent rage of being profiled or encounter institutionalized hurdles to success because of my skin or hair or name.”
Authors weigh in.
Celeste Ng
“White folks and other non-Mexican Americans in the US: you CANNOT judge for yourselves whether American Dirt is authentic. You’re going to have to trust Mexicans and Chicanx folks. I know that runs counter to the upbringing of so many. Pero ni modo. That’s too bad.” https://t.co/9O4HKZuMtw
- Celeste Ng (@pronounced_ing) January 20, 2020
Porochista Khakpour
so look, publishing, here is how it goes: if you starve a bunch of talented writers of color-try to tuck them away all indie & obscure-but then dump the millions you supposedly do not have (lol) on white writers who are basically ripping off their lives, a problem you will have!
- porochista khakpour (@PKhakpour) January 21, 2020
Alex Sayf Cummings
It’s not surprising because the work is so good, but it’s still awesome that @lesbrains’ epic destruction of #AmericanDirt has become so much the center of the discussion of the crazy hyped novel. The traffic at @TropicsM has gone through the roof https://t.co/weZXJlnVTl
- Alex Sayf Cummings🌹 (@akbarjenkins) January 18, 2020
David Bowles
Not only is American Dirt an insulting work of inaccurate cultural appropriation, a pastiche of every possible stereotype ...
... it also just sucks in terms of literary quality. Parul Sehgal rips it to shreds in this review.
Don't buy it. Don't accept it. Don't praise it. https://t.co/Q9aDYzFn9v
- David Bowles (Mācuīl Ehēcatl) (@DavidOBowles) January 17, 2020
this damn book is sitting at 4.56 on goodreads and all the reviews are yts praising this as an eye opening piece of literature. i can't.
Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5