
American Dirt is sort of like Donald Trump: an epic series of outrages that only seems to get worse by the day, especially now that Oprah and the white supremacists have entered the fray (on the same side!). It’s too much to keep track of, and any number of things that should individually disqualify this book from existence (like borderline “plagiarism”) get lost in the morass of awfulness.
The book itself is insignificant except that it forms a convenient hub. It’s emblematic of problems not just in publishing, but in the United States itself. It’s not the cause of any of them, but it is the furthering of all of them.
Let’s have some fun and blog the book, chapter by chapter. Let’s try for a target of 1,000 words per chapter.
To sign up, just add a comment with your name, twitter handle, and the chapter you want.
There are 36 Chapters, plus an afterward, and an authors note. Every one of them is a crime in itself. I’ll post a list of chapters and names as folks signup.
Meanwhile, here’s a fun breakdown by @LalaMarissaC
Chapter 1: @VictorNWJustice
Chapter 2: @susanabenavidez
Chapter 3: Lee Hammond
Chapter 4: @SchmidtTales
Chapter 5: @cynthiadotorg
Chapter 7: @dvidsilva
Chapter 10: @CoatlicueLisa
Chapter 13: @rouxrm
Chapter 17: @calvinhunter75
Chapter 19: @nessabrown27
Chapter 33: Beverly Slapin
Chapter 1
WOW, it just throws you right in the action. The Spanish palabras feel like they were dropped in sin razón, they don’t feel natural and orgánicas. Why is Balón de fútbol in Spanish? It’s a damn soccer ball like I get what the author was going for but poor execution. 😂— Laura Marissa Cullell (@LalaMarissaC) January 27, 2020
Chapter Dos (2) #AmericanDirt
— Laura Marissa Cullell (@LalaMarissaC) January 27, 2020
She shakes her head. “One ate the chicken.”
The detective writes pollo in his notebook.
Classic Detective. pic.twitter.com/HMygi9JWRG

Chapter 3 #AmericanDirt
— Laura Marissa Cullell (@LalaMarissaC) January 27, 2020
This little gem:
“A surprising thing happens to Luca after Mami finally opens the doors of their hotel room with her card key, after she looks both ways up and down the carpeted corridor…The surprising thing that happens to him is: nothing.” pic.twitter.com/B1t8zmbu3p
Chapter 4 #AmericanDirt
— Laura Marissa Cullell (@LalaMarissaC) January 27, 2020
So far, this novel reads like a shitty telenovela written by someone who doesn’t understand how telenovelas are written. The characters are just cardboard cutouts for the story. Very one-dimensional and lack any personality? Other than a single interest.
Chapter 5 #AmericanDirt
— Laura Marissa Cullell (@LalaMarissaC) January 27, 2020
Spoilers? If you care?
Earlier in chaps 3 + 4 we learned that Lydia made friends with Javier whom she met at her bookstore and shared a love of books.
Twist tiem!
Javier is the cartel leader who killed her fam.
Twist #2: He knows she’s in the hotel. pic.twitter.com/BAdgdB2Ypu
Chapter 20 #AmericanDirt
— Laura Marissa Cullell (@LalaMarissaC) January 28, 2020
Author’s take on The Simpsons right after the above :
“…so they put on Los Simpson. At home, Mami doesn’t like Luca watching Los Simpson because she thinks Bart is rude, and she doesn’t want Luca to start saying things like ‘cómete mis calzoncillos’ pic.twitter.com/NhzoZ7EMkd
Cynthia Rodríguez. Capítulo cinco. @cynthiadotorg
It’s yours!
Dibs on Chapter 4.
I feel honored to have been included in this invitation, so I should not spurn it.
Chapter 3, please.
Lee
@leehammondphoto
Chapter 3 is yours! Do you have a copy or shall I send you a pdf of the chapter?
I have this in English and Spanish. Is there a deadline?
Thanks!
No deadline. The sooner the better bc we are trying to counter a new wave of complaints that none of the critics have read the book… that’s the Meghan Daum line. Max word count 1000 words, min ~ 200 words.
OK, I’m making notes now. So, where and in what format do you want it?
Saludos!
Google doc, or word is fine. I’ll put it up on the website.
I have some words on chapter 3, so you can edit it down as you wish. Where should I send the doc?
I’d love to help. Chapter 19!
@nessabrown27
It’s yours! Do you have a copy or shall I send you a pdf of the chapter? google doc, word both fine; max ~1,000 words but no one is gonna get upset if you exceed that. Min maybe ~300 words…
Send me a PDF please.
Here you go: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tw5t21zn3fd4lqj/chapter19.pdf?dl=0