Tomás Rivera (1934–1984)

This book, originally written in Spanish, describes in short vignettes the lives of Mexican American migrant workers in the '40's and '50's.

This is both thought provoking and horrific. There are so many awful incidents in this very short book: violent tragic deaths of childre and adults; workers, including children packed into a van so tightly they had to stand up for a several day trip to more northern fields; the constant abuse and harassment that the migrant children endured in local schools.

This book is eye opening and saddening. I am distressed to learn that current migrant workers face many of the same conditions.

Recommended especially for those interested in social justice issues.… (more)

I read this book back in high school; it was a good read then and it's a good read now. And The Earth Did Not Devour Him is composed of fourteen short stories and thirteen vignettes. The accounts provide brief glimpses in the lives of Texan Mexican migrant farm workers and their families, during the 1950s. The book opens with "The Lost Year" the male protagonist tries to recall this lost year but can't seem to put it into words. The stories that follow are all fragmented memories of his forgotten time. These tales may be fiction but the harsh living conditions, deplorable working conditions, daily struggles and prejudice they encountered are not. Tomas Rivera did a wonderful job. Recommended.… (more)