The Devil's HighwayThe Devil's Highway
Score Modern
What it's about
In May 2001, twenty-six men from Mexico tried to cross into the United States through a stretch of Arizona desert so deadly it's called the Devil's Highway. Their guide got them lost, and in the heat fourteen of them died. Luis Alberto Urrea tells who they were, why they came, how they died, and the border patrol agents who found them.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Pulitzer finalist. It's a harrowing, compassionate true story, and Urrea writes about the desert like a novelist.
You'll love it if you liked
The Undocumented Americans
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster
The Worst Hard TimeGood to know
The chapter describing death by heat and thirst is graphic.
By the numbers
- Readers65 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller7 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #787 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1473 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Luis Alberto Urrea
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Quick answers
Is The Devil's Highway worth reading?
Yes. It was a Pulitzer finalist. It ranks #1,473 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Devil's Highway about?
In May 2001, twenty-six men from Mexico tried to cross into the United States through a stretch of Arizona desert so deadly it's called the Devil's Highway. Their guide got them lost, and in the heat fourteen of them died. Luis Alberto Urrea tells who they were, why they came, how they died, and the border patrol agents who found them.
How long does it take to read The Devil's Highway?
About 6 hours (256 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Devil's Highway?
If you liked it, try The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer or The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan.