American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins, is one of the most controversial books released this past year. Join New Canaan Library in welcoming Ms. Cummins as she speaks about her book, via Zoom, on Thursday, September 10 at 7 PM EST. Zoom sign in information will be provided upon registration; please register at newcanaanlibrary.org.

Both a thriller and an exploration of immigration, American Dirt tells the compelling story of Lydia Pérez, her journalist husband, and their son Luca, living in the Mexican city of Acapulco and enjoying a relatively comfortable life despite the looming threat of the powerful drug cartels of the area. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier, head of the new cartel is published, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca are forced to flee. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia―the trains heading north toward the United States, like thousands of others, and Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But, American Dirt asks, what are they running to?

Jeanine Cummins is the author of four books: the bestselling memoir A Rip in Heaven, and the novels The Outside Boy, The Crooked Branch, and American Dirt. She lives in New York with her husband and two children.