Mexican Voices/American Dreams: An Oral History of Mexican Immigration to the United States

A muralist, lumberyard manager, disc jockey, doctor, farm and factory workers are among the 90 Mexicans and Mexican-Americans whose oral histories are presented here by anthropologist Davis. With respect and sympathy, the author, a teacher in rural Mexico for 15 years, transcribes these often dramatic stories, the realization--and dashing--of dreams, the sometimes perilous border crossings. In thoughtful discussions of how migrations affect societies on both sides of the border, Davis points out that migrants' efforts (legal and illegal) to enter the U.S. depend on a fluctuating American labor market and are followed by a struggle to adapt to new ways without losing their sense of family and Mexican identity. (Oct.)