Podcast
On Being with Krista Tippett
This book of nonfiction reportage focuses on the Mexican-American border and was the result of an adventure that changed the author's perspective of the border. It tells the story of 26 Mexican men attempting to cross the desert, which was known as 'The Devil's Highway', where 14 died from heatstroke. It was described as being both reportage and narrative nonfiction, and as being written out of frustration with people's dehumanizing perceptions of migrants.
His books include Into the Beautiful North, The Devil's Highway, The Hummingbird's Daughter, and a 2023 novel, Goodnight Irene, inspired by his mother's service in the Red Cross.
— Episode: Luis Alberto Urrea — On Our Belonging to...
Episode: Luis Alberto Urrea — On Our Belonging to Each Othe...
This book of nonfiction reportage focuses on the Mexican-American border and was the result of an adventure that changed the author's perspective of the border. It tells the story of 26 Mexican men attempting to cross the desert, which was known as 'The Devil's Highway', where 14 died from heatstroke. It was described as being both reportage and narrative nonfiction, and as being written out of frustration with people's dehumanizing perceptions of migrants.
His books include Into the Beautiful North, The Devil's Highway, The Hummingbird's Daughter, and a 2023 novel, Goodnight Irene, inspired by his mother's service in the Red Cross.
In the early 2000s, Luis Alberto Urrea ventured into nonfiction reportage, training a journalist's eye on the Mexican-American border for his book The Devil's Highway.
His many books include Into the Beautiful North, The Devil's Highway, The Hummingbird's Daughter, and Goodnight Irene.
Episode: [Unedited] Luis Alberto Urrea with Krista Tippett
This nonfiction book recounts the tragic story of 26 Mexican men who died in the desert while trying to cross the border into the United States. The author's experience while researching and writing the book is discussed.
I started working on it in 2001. They died in May, and I started working in August. But it came out in 2004.
But one of the things you've said is that when you set out to write it, you were just, where was it?
You said you were tired of, can't think, you were tired of people just demonizing, not seeing these people as humans.
But one of the things that you also ended up seeing is the humanity of the Border Patrol.
I didn't mean to. You didn't mean to. But that's a huge, huge piece of the story, and it's in Agent Arnie Davis and Into the Beautiful North, right? Yes.