Book of the Week: March 17, 2014

Book of the Week:

 
The Five Destinies of Carlos Moreno
George Weinstein
356 pages

Overview: Direct from George Weinstein's Website 
(Weinsten, George. "The Five Destinies of Carlos Moreno." George Weinstein. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014. <http://georgeweinstein.deedspublishing.com/the-five-destinies-of-carlos-moreno/>.)

During the Great Depression, the U.S. government illegally deported more than a million Mexican-American citizens to make room on the welfare rolls and alleviate unemployment for white Americans. Many of these poor souls never made it back home.
Carlos Moreno is a young man who only has known hardship and poverty, chasing rumors of work throughout Texas in the 1920s. Yet he remains a romantic at heart and hopeful of a better life. Pursued by a renegade Texas Ranger who thinks he holds the key to a secret, Carlos takes refuge in “Little Mexico,” Houston’s colorful, boisterous barrio. He picks the worst possible time to fall in love. As the U.S. launches its repatriation campaign, the ranger joins forces with Immigration agents to step up his personal manhunt. Now Carlos and his wife will have to rely on courage and ingenuity to avoid the dragnet that will ensnare an entire population.

Summary:

A cute book about the harshness of the Great Depression for Hispanics mostly. Carlos is on the run, but that doesn't stop him from having a life. The book gives a nice look at Great Depression life for minorities and the value of friendships. Sometimes it even reminded me of Les Mis, with the dedication of the Ranger (Javert). That was his life project, catching the Morenos and the guy who saved them. Lots of twists ad turns. Plus it includes some Spanish. Muy Bonita. Read it.