Customer Reviews

The Border: Exploring the U.S.-Mexican Divide

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The region, along with David Danelo's writing, is complex. His storytelling does not simply follow the linear path from east to west along `la frontera' that he traveled. He carefully integrates its history, geography, people and culture with the political issues and U.S. policies that many of us are trying to understand. Danelo has the ability to make connections between disparate topics and present them in a readable way.

I found his relationship with `la frontera' itself captivating, deeply emotional and at times funny. His personal reflections along this journey allow the reader to not only understand his perspective, but give the reader an opportunity to examine and develop their own points of view. He and `la frontera' become The Border's main characters. It is no coincidence that he drives a rented Toyota hatchback, hoofs around in a pair of boots from WalMart or walks into a hotel restaurant wearing his black Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America t-shirt. He negotiates trust with a possible informant, meets many people who live and work on either side of the border, and plans an illegal border crossing like the professional he is. He places himself, conspicuously, in the center of this book and wrestles with both the US-Mexican border (cultural) and the US-Mexico border (geographical).

Danelo describes with respect the deaths of two young men who lived on the border eternally linked to the United States Marine Corps. One, a Marine, fought and died with honor while serving in Iraq. The other never had the chance to serve. Each young man's life and death represents different issues that Danelo raises; immigration and drug trafficking, as well as the larger issue of securing America.

David Danelo is a gifted young writer who challenges storytelling while revealing 'la frontera'. The Border is a strong second major work worth reading.

Is the Mexican-American border defensible? Should it be? These are questions that our politicians in Washington should be asking, but are not, so former Marine David Danelo drove the 1,951.63 mile border from the Gulf of Mexico's Boca Chica, Texas to Border Field State Park on California's Pacific coast, and he asks the questions for us.

Danelo took three months driving along both sides of the border, and his interviews and observations illuminate the growing divide between the two countries, and also whether or not the real crisis is immigration or narcotics. Talking with citizens of both Mexico and the United States in the major border cities of Matamoros - Laredo - Ciudad Juarez - Nogales- and San Diego, he personalizes the situation with a series of interviews with Border Patrol agents local sheriff's, church groups, Minutemen, various American and Mexican citizens, and even a couple of Mexican teenagers who were about to be deported.

It is when talking to these young men, and a Mormon couple in Arizona, that Danelo cuts to the heart of the matter "why do Americans hate us so much," the teenager asks, "why do they pay us so much to work for them, and then kick us out?" An interesting question, to be sure, and especially when posed to the couple who run a restaurant in Arizona. The husband and wife find themselves torn between wanting to obey American immigration law, yet troubled that not only do American teenagers refuse work as busboys and dishwashers, but that they are breaking the law by providing work that gives hope, dignity, and survival to otherwise impoverished individuals. These are good questions, and ones whose eventual answers will help provide solutions to the problem.

The immigration question is a complex one, and Danelo touches on its many facets. The issues are a combination of economics, growth of the `narcotraficantes' and the recent orgy of `narco-killings', cultural change as American demographics morph from Anglo to Latino...all of which is due to a slowly failing state (Mexico) whose citizens are fleeing by the hundreds of thousands for a better life. Similar to situation in Iraq, where peace came only after the Iraqi government became engaged with their own citizens, the immigration situation must include the Mexican government becoming more engaged in resolving those conflicts that otherwise send its citizens walking north.

The first 535 copies of "The Border" printed should be delivered to our congressmen and senators. This is a book that discusses immigration without a political slant, which makes it a rarity in these days of Lou Dobbs-led hysteria. "The Border" is an impartial, honest, and well-written synposis of the situation on the border; Danelo asks all the right questions - now let's see if anyone in Washington can provide an equally thoughtful answer.

This book started out strong as the author worked his way west from the Brownsville area. But by the time he got to El Paso, he seemed to fizzle out. He even admitted later on that he was physically drained and that his research was taking its toll on him. Not much time was spent in Arizona vis a vis its role in the current dynamics of the border; even less time was devoted to New Mexico. I found it curious that he seemed obsessed with describing everyone's clothing, including his own. At one point he related a situation in which his lack of fluency in Spanish hindered him when he was lost. In a reflective tone, he wrote how he never did learn the word for highway (carreterra). Learning it later would have made for a stronger anecdote.

There is considerable research throughout, making it a fun read, with smooth segueways between historical events and current conditions. I just would have like to see this kind of strength carried a little further.

I enjoyed "The Border" for several reasons. As a proud native Texan of Mexican heritage now living in Chicago, I've seen the difference in attitudes towards Mexicans, Hispanics and illegal aliens in both regions. Additionally, David Danelo does a solid job of introducing historic issues and conflicts in order to frame current issues correctly. Lastly, The Border was also a timely book given the increase in crime, murder and corruption we've all seen and read about in the news taking place along the Mexican border.

Danelo's writing style is fluid and easy to grasp, and he goes out of his way several times in the book to present both sides of several political divides here in the US regarding illegals, Hispanics, government agencies, the differences in US culture in dealing with the border from the Rio Grande Valley to the Pacific Coast as well as his opinion on the role the US military should play along our southern border. I also loved how he meshed his Iraq War experiences into the social aspects of the people affected on both sides of the border.

I commend David for his presentation and honesty about both the positives and negatives of living so close to a society and culture so foreign to many Americans. However, having grown up Mexican-American in Texas most of my life, I think there were two very important groups of people not covered in greater detail or covered at all in "The Border"; the controlling class in Mexico and the conservative, pro-American Hispanics.

There wasn't enough detail about the views from those from the interior of Mexico, the controlling "familias", the middle class and working professional opinions on what they like about the US, which many times is also what they don't like about our country. It's these groups of people that dominate "family" business grupos and cartels and dominate what's produced and reported by the Mexican media and therefore create and define the Mexican opinion about the US and "la frontera". This detail and insight would easily offset the typical middle class American views David points out in his book.

There was also no coverage of Mexican-Americans who lean more conservative and pro-American. These folks are 2nd, 3rd, 4th or older generation Americans who have worked hard to blend in with the American, Rockwell ethos. These people live the typical American lifestyle and have similar views of illegal immigration and border security found in many Middle American and suburban societies. As one of those Hispanics, I found some of David's opinions a little irritating at times . . . . especially when he criticized America's conservative culture for its views. There are more native Hispanics (Mexican-Americans) with the very same opinions as those David chided and I wished he captured some of that.

Overall, Danelo's book was a pleasure to read and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more than just the difference between the political US-Mexico divide. This book is for those who want to expand their lens on the "US-Mexican" border and capture its growing complex set of issues that we'll all have to deal with in our lifetime.

David Danelo has done it again. With his second book, the author of "Blood Stripes" again shows his uncanny ability to take an issue and making it personal. Danelo cuts through policy and politics to tell the stories of people whose lives are consumed by U.S.-Mexico border issues. As a former Marine officer, Danelo can see past the political spin and official statements to get to the nitty-gritty details. Readers will feel like they're riding along as he explores the border from both sides. "The Border" will change the way you think about immigration and border security.

The foundation of this book is an idea of such boldness that only a Marine could come up with it: travel the 1,951 miles of the U.S.-Mexican border and report what is going on along the most frequently crossed national boundary in the world. The story of that sometimes dangerous trip sustains this fascinating book.
Danelo weaves in an impressive amount of research to show the consequences of America not being in control of the border. The thoughtful analysis throughout the book demonstrates a highly-trained military mind. But then Danelo is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a former Marine officer, and author of "Blood Stripes."
I only wish Danelo's editor was as bold and hard-nosed as is Danelo. the writing is loose and sometimes self-indulgent. Even so, Danelo recognizes a great story and he does his homework.

Once again, David Danelo has written a page-turner that does an excellent job explaining the complexities involved with the 1,951 miles of the U.S.-Mexican border. From illegal immigration to drug smuggling to firefights to Catholic charities patrolling the desert, Danelo's latest work covers it all and more, in an up close and personal true Marine way.

Who should read The Border and why? Previous reviews have covered why America's political leadership should carefully heed the lessons Danelo provides. I agree completely with these assessments.

Who else should read The Border? I'd strongly recommend Danelo's work to anyone in the law enforcement and/or military communities that want to study a non-linear complex problem, particularly those likely to conduct operations in border areas of foreign nations. Danelo's travels and one-on-one interviews with American and Mexican citizens (including smugglers) and government officials on both sides of the Texas/Mexico, New Mexico/Mexico, Arizona/Mexico, and California/Mexico borders are not only fascinating at times, but also make it readily apparent that a "one size fits all" answer doesn't exist for those trying to figure out how to secure the southern U.S. border. Ideas about walls in Texas are mostly "no-go" territory with Texan political leaders and residents, who often share heritage and/or relationships with Mexican citizens that live only miles from them. In Arizona and California, views on the need for a walled border are often very different among officials and residents. In these areas, where personal and economic ties aren't always the norm, officials and residents often support more drastic infrastructure-based measures for securing the border. As a result, walls and fences have already been built in California and Arizona in an effort to prevent illegal immigration, drug smuggling and potential terrorist actions as well. These obstacles have helped to curb cross-border migration to a degree, but they have repeatedly proven to have their limitations (i.e., can't prevent tunneling and/or smugglers cutting holes in the obstacles).

This leads Danelo to support the many U.S. Border Patrol agents that describe the answer to securing the border centering on three critical pieces: people, then technology, and then infrastructure. Similar to what the U.S. military has learned time-and-again in combat overseas, where lacking adequate personnel in numbers, training, and education, all the technology and/or infrastructure in the world will never prove decisive in securing a nation's border.

As one who will likely confront the challenges associated with border security in the very near future, The Border has provided an excellent foundation to use when thinking through possible solutions.

This book is a superficial look at the US Mexico Border by someone who is poorly qualified to do the research (eg doesn't speak Spanish, doesn't know that sagauro cactus doesn't grow in the Chihuahuan desert etc.) The author is more interested in telling the reader about his own background (he was is the US military in Iraq) than in explaining the history of the region or the reasons that many border residents oppose the border fence etc. I read the book because it received a good review in the Economist but his story should have been a magazine article not a book.