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The Devil's Highway: A True Story Kindle Edition

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 2,897 ratings

This important book from a Pulitzer Prize finalist follows the brutal journey a group of men take to cross the Mexican border: "the single most compelling, lucid, and lyrical contemporary account of the absurdity of U.S. border policy" (The Atlantic).

In May 2001, a group of men attempted to cross the Mexican border into the desert of southern Arizona, through the deadliest region of the continent, the "Devil's Highway." Three years later, Luis Alberto Urrea wrote about what happened to them. The result was a national bestseller, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a "book of the year" in multiple newspapers, and a work proclaimed as a modern American classic.
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In May 2001, 26 Mexican men scrambled across the border and into an area of the Arizona desert known as the Devil's Highway. Only 12 made it safely across. American Book Awardâ€"winning writer and poet Urrea (Across the Wire; Six Kinds of Sky; etc.), who was born in Tijuana and now lives outside Chicago, tracks the paths those men took from their home state of Veracruz all the way norte. Their enemies were many: the U.S. Border Patrol ("La Migra"); gung-ho gringo vigilantes bent on taking the law into their own hands; the Mexican Federales; rattlesnakes; severe hypothermia and the remorseless sun, a "110 degree nightmare" that dried their bodies and pounded their brains. In artful yet uncomplicated prose, Urrea captivatingly tells how a dozen men squeezed by to safety, and how 14 othersâ€"whom the media labeled the Yuma 14â€"did not. But while many point to the group's smugglers (known as coyotes) as the prime villains of the tragedy, Urrea unloads on, in the words of one Mexican consul, "the politics of stupidity that rules both sides of the border." Mexican and U.S. border policy is backward, Urrea finds, and it does little to stem the flow of immigrants. Since the policy results in Mexicans making the crossing in increasingly forbidding areas, it contributes to the conditions that kill those who attempt it. Confident and full of righteous rage, Urrea's story is a well-crafted mélange of first-person testimony, geographic history, cultural and economic analysis, poetry and an indictment of immigration policy. It may not directly influence the forces behind the U.S.'s southern border travesties, but it does give names and identities to the faceless and maligned "wetbacks" and "pollos," and highlights the brutality and unsustainable nature of the many walls separating the two countries. Maps not seen by PW.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

So many illegal immigrants die in the desert Southwest of the U.S. that only notorious catastrophes make headlines. Urrea reconstructs one such incident in the Sonoran Desert, the ordeal of sun and thirst of two dozen men in May 2001, half of whom suffered excruciating deaths. They came from Vera Cruz; their so-called guide came from Guadalajara. Jesus Lopez Ramos was no master of orienteering, however, just an expendable bottom-feeder in the border's human-smuggling racket. Tracing their lives and the routes to the border, Urrea adopts a slangy, surreal style in which the desert landscape shimmers and distorts, while in desiccated border settlements criminals, officials, and vigilantes patrol for human cargo such as the men from Vera Cruz. The imaginative license Urrea takes, paralleling the laconic facts of the case that he incorporates into his narrative, produces a powerful, almost diabolical impression of the disaster and the exploitative conditions at the border. Urrea shows immigration policy on the human level. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000SETE5K
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books; 1st edition (October 23, 2008)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 23, 2008
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2351 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 276 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 2,897 ratings

About the author

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Luis Alberto Urrea
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Hailed by NPR as a “literary badass” and a “master storyteller with a rock and roll heart,” Luis Alberto Urrea is a prolific and acclaimed writer who uses his dual-culture life experiences to explore greater themes of love, loss and triumph.

A 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist for nonfiction and member of the Latino Literature Hall of Fame, Urrea is the critically acclaimed and best-selling author of 17 books, winning numerous awards for his poetry, fiction and essays. Born in Tijuana to a Mexican father and American mother, Urrea is most recognized as a border writer, though he says, “I am more interested in bridges, not borders.”

Urrea newest book, Good Night, Irene, takes as inspiration his mother’s own Red Cross service. With its affecting and uplifting portrait of friendship and valor in harrowing circumstances, Good Night, Irene powerfully demonstrates yet again that Urrea’s “gifts as a storyteller are prodigious” (NPR). A book of poetry, Piedra, will also publish this year (Flowersong Press).

The House of Broken Angels (2018) is a novel of an American family, which happens to be from Mexico. Angel de la Cruz knows this is his last birthday and he wants to gather his progeny for a final fiesta. A New York Times Notable Book, it was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction.

In 2017, Urrea won an American Academy of Arts and Letters Fiction award and his collection of short stories, The Water Museum, was a finalist for the 2016 PEN-Faulkner Award and was named a best book of the year by The Washington Post and Kirkus Reviews, among others. Into the Beautiful North, his 2009 a novel, is a Big Read selection by the National Endowment of the Arts and has been chosen by more than 50 different cities and colleges as a community read. The Devil’s Highway, Urrea’s 2004 non-fiction account of a group of Mexican immigrants lost in the Arizona desert, won the Lannan Literary Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the Pacific Rim Kiriyama Prize. The Hummingbird’s Daughter, his 2005 historical novel, tells the story of Urrea’s great-aunt Teresa Urrea, sometimes known as the Saint of Cabora and the Mexican Joan of Arc. The book, which involved 20 years of research and writing, won the Kiriyama Prize in fiction and, along with The Devil’s Highway, was named a best book of the year by many publications.

In all, more than 100 cities and colleges have chosen one of Urrea's books as a community read.

Urrea has also won an Edgar award from the Mystery Writers of America for best short story (2009, “Amapola” in Phoenix Noir and featured in The Water Museum). Into the Beautiful North earned a citation of excellent from the American Library Association Rainbow’s Project. Urrea’s first book, Across the Wire, was named a New York Times Notable Book and won the Christopher Award. Urrea also won a 1999 American Book Award for his memoir, Nobody’s Son: Notes from an American Life and in 2000, he was voted into the Latino Literature Hall of Fame following the publication of Vatos. His book of short stories, Six Kinds of Sky, was named the 2002 small-press Book of the Year in fiction by the editors of ForeWord magazine. He has also won a Western States Book Award in poetry for The Fever of Being and was in the 1996 Best American Poetry collection. Urrea’s other titles include By the Lake of Sleeping Children, In Search of Snow, Ghost Sickness and Wandering Time.

Urrea attended the University of California at San Diego, earning an undergraduate degree in writing, and did his graduate studies at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

After serving as a relief worker in Tijuana and a film extra and columnist-editor-cartoonist for several publications, Urrea moved to Boston where he taught expository writing and fiction workshops at Harvard. He also taught at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

Urrea lives with his family in Naperville, IL, where he is a distinguished professor of creative writing at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
2,897 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They appreciate the well-researched and insightful story. The writing style is described as poetic and eloquent. Readers describe the pacing as good and unadulterated. Overall, the book provides an excellent historical context and analysis of border issues.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

134 customers mention "Readability"134 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They appreciate the author's skill in bringing the events to life and providing insights into topics they may not consider.

"...research and attention to detail make this book a poignant and essential read, shedding light on a critical but often overlooked issue...." Read more

"...I found it very interesting and enlightening and enjoyed my journey through the book, despite the gruesomeness of death in the desert...." Read more

"...This book hit home. Urrea did a masterful job of bringing home the reality of this event, even to someone who is already familiar with the..." Read more

"...The Devil's Highway is essential reading for socio-political relevance, passion, compassion, imagery, and the sheer beauty of its prose...." Read more

118 customers mention "Insight"113 positive5 negative

Customers find the book informative and well-researched. They appreciate the author's insightful observations and extensive knowledge of the region. The book provides a better understanding of the current national crisis and has had a profound impact on them.

"...The meticulous research and attention to detail make this book a poignant and essential read, shedding light on a critical but often overlooked issue..." Read more

"...I found it very interesting and enlightening and enjoyed my journey through the book, despite the gruesomeness of death in the desert...." Read more

"...This book hit home...." Read more

"...Devil's Highway is essential reading for socio-political relevance, passion, compassion, imagery, and the sheer beauty of its prose...." Read more

105 customers mention "Story quality"88 positive17 negative

Customers find the story compelling and truthful. They appreciate the non-linear narrative style and well-researched content. The book is described as a touching, heart-wrenching tale about those less fortunate struggling to make a living.

"Luis Alberto Urrea's "The Devil's Highway: A True Story" is a masterpiece that delves into the harrowing journey of a group of migrants crossing the..." Read more

"...I found it very interesting and enlightening and enjoyed my journey through the book, despite the gruesomeness of death in the desert...." Read more

"...Anyways.....they talked about this book and described the story...." Read more

"...Through prose that reads like poetry, and reality that is shockingly surreal, Urrea puts the reader in middle of the arid barrenness that delineates..." Read more

98 customers mention "Writing style"76 positive22 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style. They find it compelling, eloquent, and descriptive. The author has a masterful command of language and creates vivid descriptions. While some content is non-fiction, the writing style is described as vivid and poetic.

"...Luis Alberto Urrea's writing style and compassionate storytelling make "The Devil's Highway: A True Story" a quintessential read for anyone..." Read more

"...This is written like a novel, so it's an easy read, but some of the content is unpleasant...." Read more

"...It is a beautiful, rugged landscape and as deadly and as physically imposing as Urrea describes in the book...." Read more

"...Through prose that reads like poetry, and reality that is shockingly surreal, Urrea puts the reader in middle of the arid barrenness that delineates..." Read more

23 customers mention "Pacing"19 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing and quality. They find the story well-crafted and clean. The book captures the essence of human resilience and the unbreakable will to survive against all odds. While it is a good read, some readers feel it is not a feel-good read.

"...In "The Devil's Highway," Urrea captures the essence of human resilience and the unbreakable will to survive against all odds...." Read more

"...vendor in the past and the books are always in good or excellent condition as described. I will order from him again in the future." Read more

"...Mexico to what they hope will be good jobs in the U.S. This is not a feel good read...." Read more

"...This is a well crafted lamentation and I appreciate the depth of the dilemma, but there are no proposed solutions to resolve issues for any side of..." Read more

20 customers mention "History"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's history fascinating and well-written. They appreciate the skillful weaving of historical context, personal accounts, and in-depth research. Readers find the details of border crossers' struggles revealing. The book provides a fresh look at the border wars and the Border Patrol, providing a heartfelt story without political agenda. Overall, customers describe it as an engaging adventure that should rivet any reader interested in history or adventure.

"...Urrea skillfully weaves together historical context, personal accounts, and in-depth research, immersing the reader in the tragic yet resilient..." Read more

"...The Devil's Highway is essential reading for socio-political relevance, passion, compassion, imagery, and the sheer beauty of its prose...." Read more

"...It was updated in 2015. Yet, it is as relevant as yesterday's newspaper...." Read more

"...L Urrea for putting it down in a book so rich in detail and vital to current history." Read more

17 customers mention "Accuracy"17 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's accuracy. They find it a valuable reality check that provides true and valuable insights. The book is described as fair-minded, honest, and unbiased. It weaves emotion and hard truth together in an entertaining way.

"...of the coyote, however, Urrea manages to write a heartfelt and impartial account of every player in the tragedy...." Read more

"...Highway that evening (in one sitting) - the author's brilliant, vivid, honest and matter-of-fact writing, reminded me both WHY this type of work is..." Read more

"...portrays the immigrants, the border patrol and even the coyote, without judgment. He allows the reader to come to her/his own conclusion...." Read more

"...This is a fair minded account of the forces that impel Mexican migration to El Norte as well as the efforts of the Border protection forces in both..." Read more

66 customers mention "Heartbreaking story"44 positive22 negative

Customers find the book humanizes the victims and allows readers to empathize with their struggles. Others find the content sad and graphic, not suitable for the weak of heart.

"...He humanizes their stories, allowing readers to empathize with their struggles, fears, and the impossible choices they're forced to make...." Read more

"...Highway is essential reading for socio-political relevance, passion, compassion, imagery, and the sheer beauty of its prose...." Read more

"...written like a novel, so it's an easy read, but some of the content is unpleasant...." Read more

"...ability to humanize the migrant--the dreams, the goals, the prayers--is enlightening and necessary, especially given the current political climate..." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2023
    Luis Alberto Urrea's "The Devil's Highway: A True Story" is a masterpiece that delves into the harrowing journey of a group of migrants crossing the perilous terrain of the Arizona-Mexico border. Urrea’s compelling narrative provides an intimate and powerful exploration of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

    The book meticulously details the journey of a group of individuals, revealing their hopes, fears, and the unimaginable challenges they face in their pursuit of a better life. Urrea skillfully weaves together historical context, personal accounts, and in-depth research, immersing the reader in the tragic yet resilient experiences of these migrants.

    What makes this book exceptional is not just the portrayal of the physical and emotional hardships endured but also the depth of empathy and understanding with which Urrea presents the characters. He humanizes their stories, allowing readers to empathize with their struggles, fears, and the impossible choices they're forced to make.

    Urrea's storytelling is both poignant and powerful. He skillfully navigates the complexities of immigration, shedding light on the larger socio-political landscape while never losing sight of the individual human stories at the heart of it all.

    The meticulous research and attention to detail make this book a poignant and essential read, shedding light on a critical but often overlooked issue. It invites readers to consider the broader implications of border policies and immigration in a way that's both enlightening and emotionally compelling.

    In "The Devil's Highway," Urrea captures the essence of human resilience and the unbreakable will to survive against all odds. The book is an eye-opening and thought-provoking testament to the human spirit, leaving a lasting impact and prompting deeper reflection on the challenges faced by those seeking a new life.

    Overall, this book is a powerful, enlightening, and deeply moving exploration of the human experience. Luis Alberto Urrea's writing style and compassionate storytelling make "The Devil's Highway: A True Story" a quintessential read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of immigration and the unwavering strength of the human spirit.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2024
    I love this book. It opens the world of people, men especially, trying to first get to the U.S./Mexico border, and then cross one way or another, into the United States. It is a hot, dry, grueling, expensive trek which often ends in death.

    This is written like a novel, so it's an easy read, but some of the content is unpleasant. I found it very interesting and enlightening and enjoyed my journey through the book, despite the gruesomeness of death in the desert.

    Read all the way to the end of the book, and acknowledgements. Much great information we all need to know!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2012
    I have been living in Arizona and Nevada the past 16 years and one of my favorite places to visit is the Sonoran Desert of the Cabeza Prieta and the Organ Pipe National Monument. In fact, I camped at Organ Pipe twice in late 2000, unaware of the tragedy that happened less than 20 miles or so from me just 7 months prior.

    It is a beautiful, rugged landscape and as deadly and as physically imposing as Urrea describes in the book. Having seen the Border Patrol outposts, the caravans of green-stripped vehicles racing up and down the highways, hand-cuffed crossers sitting in the gravel along the side of the road to Lukeville, and even a ten-speed bike stashed beneath a dead cholla for future use, I know a bit of what these desperate walkers were up against. And I can even sympathize with the coyote who had trouble finding his way through the low mountains that all look the same, and all look as nasty as the others.

    Its sad that we as Americans, the wealthiest people in the world, the people who have "more" of just about everything than any other people on the planet, can not find some way to accommodate or at least deal with these desperate crossers other than to force them into the desolate places along our southern border.

    They don't want to steal, they don't want to kill, they don't want to "take back their country!!" They just want a means to a better life for themselves, and more importantly in just about every case, their families.

    This book hit home. Urrea did a masterful job of bringing home the reality of this event, even to someone who is already familiar with the territory. And he did just as masterful a job of bringing these walkers to life, of helping me understand who they were, what they were about, and why they would risk everything to help their families back home.

    I had heard of this book a long time ago, and I wanted to read it. But it got lost in the giant stack of books I "need to read." However, I was introduced to Luis while watching an interview by Bill Moyers on Moyers & Company. It was a great interview of a great writer by one of the greatest interviewers of all time. Did I mention it was great??? Anyways.....they talked about this book and described the story. I went out and downloaded a copy to my Kindle in just a few minutes and started reading it that night. Best money spent in a long time!!

    I have since read the The Hummingbird's Daughter and started the Queen of America: A Novel. Luis Alberto Urrea is a fantastic writer and he has won himself a new admirer and fan. If you are teetering on the edge of whether to buy this book or any other Urrea tome, I suggest you go for it!!
    14 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • FSJ Book Fan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book from Luis Urrea
    Reviewed in Canada on November 24, 2014
    Another rollicking story from Mr. Urrea, which makes me want to pick up some more of his books regarding the US/Mexican border and the pain and suffering that's going on there all the time.
    As I said in my review of "The Hummingbird's Daughter" Mr. Urrea's unique method of using poetry to describe these events is perfect, the only way to do it properly. With his description of the US border patrol, you feel like you're right there in the truck with the guys in the wee hours of the morning.
    In his notes at the end (and by the way, don't miss them, they're almost as good as the book itself, ESPECIALLY the "world-class" typographical error that his friend helped him to avoid!) anyway, back to the border patrol - he says in his notes that when he first approached them to do research for this story they distrusted him; however, they obviously discerned his integrity, and he shows in an objective light, as people who are trying to do their jobs.
    One person found this helpful
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  • wordparty
    5.0 out of 5 stars Into Desolation
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 7, 2013
    This is a very powerful book, describing the true, disastrous journey of 26 men, who tried to cross from Mexico to the United States on foot through the Arizona desert in 2001.
    The book deals with the background to such journeys; the poverty that inspires them; the expoitative organizations in Mexico who profit from them; the economic systems which trigger migrant needs; the border guards who try to stop the migrants, and all the other factors. But in the main it is a reconstruction of the preparations and the terrible journey of the lost in the scalding desert, who, betrayed and abandoned by their "coyotes" - guides - stumble on in dwindling numbers until at last a few survivors of the furnace are seen and saved by the guards who roam the desert landscapes looking for "illegals."
    "The Devil's Highway" is easy to read, gripping and not at all preachy, while having a heart of anger and compassion which I found moving and fierce.
    A tremendous amount of research must have gone into this account, and Urrea has woven it all into a terrifically powerful narrative. His description of the desert heat and the thirst and what it can do to human beings is unforgettable: "You dream of pools, seas, you dream of a lake and you dream of drinking the whole thing dry as you soak. You'd pay all your money for cold water. You'd trade sex, anything for water. Walkers who find abandoned vehicles break open the radiators and die from gulping the antifreeze...."
    In one of the quoted reviews inside this widely acclaimed book, it is compared to John Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" - an excellent account of chaotic ascent of Everest by two rival groups in 1996, which led to the death of one of the climbers. The two books make an interesting comparison: Krakauer's is the story of a group of rich individuals who come to disaster in the snows through their often selfish ambition to get to the top of the world at all costs and who don't let reason stand in their way when things get dangerous. "The Devil's Highway" on the other hand is the story of a group of people who, driven on by poverty, come to disaster in the infernal heat of the desert in an attempt to find work and to make things a little better for their families back home.
    A fine, humane, beautifully paced book and unhesitatingly recommended.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • SR
    5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT READ
    Reviewed in Canada on September 18, 2022
    I really enjoyed this book. Knowing it is based on a true story is an eye opener. Shocking and sad.
  • E
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in Germany on June 15, 2022
    The book was well written and told the story from multiple points of view. Definitely worthy of almost winning the Pulitzer Prize!
  • WCA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Grim, but required, reading...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2014
    Living in Mexico, I have an interest in what is happening along the border and through the lawless states like Guerrero and Michoacán. This very well-written book describes the pitiful situation a broup of Mexicans found themselves in whilst attempting to cross the desert to the States with an inexperienced and irresponsible 'coyote' as a guide. It's a disturbing story, and depressingly common amonsgt the folk desperate to find work and a better life in the north. Urrea's style is great, and the pace of the story is well executed. Highly recommended.
    One person found this helpful
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