“A brutally honest book… the “Angela’s Ashes” of the modern Mexican immigrant experience.” –the Los Angeles Times “A timely and a vivid example of how poverty and immigration can destroy a family.” this book should have a long shelf life.” –Slate “The sadness at the heart of Grande’s story is unrelenting this is the opposite of a light summer read. The American story of the new millennium is the story of the Latino immigrant, yet how often has the story been told by the immigrant herself? What makes Grande’s beautiful memoir all the more extraordinary is that, through this hero’s journey, she speaks for millions of immigrants whose voices have gone unheard.”–Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street “I’ve been waiting for this book for decades. “Reyna Grande is a fierce, smart, shimmering light of a writer with an important story to tell.” –Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail The Distance Between Us has the power to change minds and hearts.Ģ012 National Book Critics Circle Awards Finalist Praise For The Distance Between Us:

in Creative Writing.Īt a time when immigration politics are at a boiling point in America, Reyna Grande is an important public voice for Mexican Americans and immigrants of every origin. After an explosive altercation, Reyna breaks away, going on to become the first person in her family to obtain a higher education, earning a B.A. Reyna finds solace from a violent home in books and writing, inspired by the Latina voices she reads. His big dreams for his children are what gets them across the border, but his alcoholism and rage undermine all his hard work and good intentions. Her father isn’t the man she dreamed about all those years in Mexico. Filled with hope, she quickly realizes that life in America is far from perfect. as an undocumented immigrant to live with her father. The 10th Anniversary Edition of The Distance Between Us is now available, with a foreword by Sandra Cisneros and an introduction by the author!įrom award-winning author, Reyna Grande, an eye-opening memoir about life before and after illegally immigrating from Mexico to the United States.īorn in Mexico and raised by her grandparents after her parents left to find work in the U.S., at nine years old, Reyna enters the U.S.

The distance between us by reyna grande