‘AMERICAN DIRT’ BY JEANINE CUMMINGS Matt’s Book of the Month
Recently, I read “American Dirt” by Jeanine Cummings. This book was a recommendation from my wife, Ashley, who read it first. She said it was so well-written, and that she thought I would enjoy reading it too. I knew if my wife loved a book, I likely would, too. So, I picked it up and began reading. I now understand why Ashley (and I) enjoyed this book so much — the story is captivating! This is the story of a wife and mother, Lydia, who owns and operates a bookstore in Acapulco, Mexico. But suddenly, Lydia’s life changed as she experienced a traumatic incident. She finds herself in immediate peril as her husband, mother, and extended family are killed by the local cartel. Since Lydia and her son, Luca, are now in danger, they are forced to flee. So, they set off on a journey of 1,000 miles to make it across the border to the United States undetected. During this journey, they meet others like them who are running away from something and seeking safety in the United States.
I knew nothing about any kind of controversy surrounding this book when I read it. What I did know is that it was the subject of many book clubs and that it was a bestseller. Most of the negative reviews centered around one thing: It’s a novel about Mexican migrants written by a woman who identifies as white. Many people argued that she couldn’t speak on the experience of immigrants because Cummings never experienced it herself. Whatever your thoughts are on the story’s subtext and the controversy is none of my business — you’re entitled to your own opinion and beliefs. What is important is that Cummings describes everything with such vivid imagery. It’s like you’re on the journey with Lydia and Luca. I was transported into the story and found it incredibly difficult to put this book down. It was such an incredible read, and I highly recommend it to all of you.
Thank you for tuning in to Matt’s Book of the Month! I look forward to sharing more books with you in the future.
MEME CORNER
Pumpkin Pie Parfaits Cooking With Ashley
These parfaits are an easy fall dessert everyone can make!
Directions
Ingredients
1. In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir in pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. 2. In a blender or food processor, crush vanilla sandwich cookies into crumbs. 3. In small jars or glasses, place cookie crumbs on bottom, then pumpkin mixture, then whipped topping. Repeat these layers twice and end with cookie crumbs.
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3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
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2 cups cold milk
15-oz can pumpkin purée
1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves 1 cup vanilla sandwich cookies 8 oz whipped topping
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4. Chill until ready to serve!
Inspired by Kenarry.com
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www.matthewkoneckypa.com
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