The Devil’s Highway: A True Story

5 Responses to “The Devil’s Highway: A True Story”

1. Superman says:

   June 9, 2010 at 6:31 am

   It seems like this book has appeal for the come one, come all immigration proponents and multiculturalism fanatics. I take no joy in hearing the tales of human suffering, whether it be south of the border or elsewhere, but there is a heavy cost for allowing millions of mexicans into America. Many locales with large illegal immigrant populations have seen a sharp increase in violent crime and gang activity.

   The recent displays of militant chicano jingoism in the name of “sensible immigration reform” should be enough to shake the kumbaya airheads from their stupor and sentimentalism about poor mexicans. There’s no shortage of revanchism and anti-white racism being spouted by mexican leaders in the mainstream and on the fringes.

   America is at a crossroads, which side will you be on when things really get appealing?

   Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
2. Anonymous says:

   June 9, 2010 at 8:45 am

   This tale of the Yuma 14 had the potential to be one helluva of a tale, as it does read as though it is fictitious. The fact that it’s right is the driving force behind the tale, only to be marred by the leader’s sloppy and at time irreverent writing style. He uses repetition of words and phrases in extremis, and he for some reason feels compelled to stick one-liners at the close of all his sections. The material is appealing enough lacking the reader having to be bludgeoned by tongue-in-cheek punchline passages. It really got annoying and detracted from the larger tale of struggle.
   Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
3. Angelia O'Conner says:

   June 9, 2010 at 9:14 am

   When alternative up the Devil’s Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea, be forewarned: this is not the tale of 26 men who walked into the desert and fought futilely against death that it is made out to be – it is a ramble about illegal immigrants and the Arizona desert which just happens to contain a section about the Yuma 14/Wellton 26 and their disastrous encounter with the Devil’s Highway area of that desert. Many of the 26 men walking across the desert – the supposed main characters – are not introduced by name and backstory until seven-page-long Chapter 11 – more than middle through the book. Some of the characters don’t even get that much – some merit only a single reference at their death. One comes away at the end feeling as one knows more about the recruiter Don Moi, Mendez the Coyote guide, and certainly Rita Vargas, the Mexican consulate agent who oversaw the aftermath (why does so much concentrate on her in particular, one has to marvel?) than 90% of the actual walkers.

   The walkers’ real tale doesn’t even seem to start until Part Three of the book’s four sections – maybe the end of Part Two. Up to that point (and even past it) the book’s narrative seems to leap aimlessly around and spends pages upon pages of its own aimless wandering in the desert – entire passages are taken up by such beside the point (and some just downright weird) topics and tales as folkloric creatures and spirits said to reside in the Mexican desert, Mexican rap, religion in Sonoita, campers dying in the desert, the medical benefits of urine, statistics, and the shooting of a Border Make the rounds. The narrative seems to spend an excessive amount of time on things that place the reader asking “And the weight to the tale was…?” Even a riveting passage about the stages of hyperthermia seemed out of place jammed in the middle of the Wellton 26’s walk and between three pages of relating additional terrible but unrelated desert deaths and, “And the men headed deeper into the desert.” In addition, at least twenty pages at the end of the book, after the end of the survivors’ tale, is dedicated to touting numbers on illegal immigrants immediately after Urrea claims that the situation isn’t a game of numbers but a tale of the heart.

   Sections of the tale, in brief, have additional things jammed into and in between them and lose their power even when written well, such as in the excessive but powerful descriptions of the desert. Quotes, too, are thrust in lacking adequate lead-ins and some even lacking weight. The result is a tale that is padded with beside the point sidetracks and, even worse, has very small if any flow, leaving it confusing and certainly not clear-cut or well-organized; the majority of it should make any sensible editor (or reader) cringe at the hack-job.

   In addition, the book seems to attempt to hide a bias at first, but it inevitably leaks through. Although considerable poking at gringos and American “Yanquis” (Yankees) is to be expected, one section states: “White Europeans conceived of and launched [immigration northward] just as white Europeans inhabiting the United States today bemoan it.” Urrea has seemingly forgotten that most Mexicans are as much Europeans through Spanish conquistador blood as Americans are European. In addition, minute racial prods can be establish at Arabs, Salvadorans, Native Americans, the Chinese, and at one point an African American is referred to as “exotic.” A bias especially comes through in the treatment of Border Make the rounds agents. Although in the afterword Urrea says that he wanted to introduce, “The Border Make the rounds agent – a law enforcement officer who is disrespected and demeaned” he still seems to blame them, and throughout the book, the Border Make the rounds is referred to as “la Pinche Migra” – the damned Border Make the rounds – and once even as “Trailer Trash.” Urrea seems to echo an opinion quoted in the book, “America was to blame!” and his bias becomes evident.
   
   Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
4. Jennifer Ewart says:

   June 9, 2010 at 9:32 am

   Luis paints the scary picture of crossing the desert. He puts humans behind the names of the crossers, border protrol, and the cyotes. Based on right events that take place everyday. This is a must read for everyone in the United States.
   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
5. Jesus M. Juarez says:

   June 9, 2010 at 10:57 am

   Brilliant tale. Highly recommend to others. Fantastic eye opener to be thankful for everything we have. Fantastic book!!
   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5