The Undocumented AmericansThe Undocumented Americans
Score Modern
What it's about
Karla Cornejo Villavicencio came to the United States from Ecuador as a child, grew up undocumented in Queens and became one of the first undocumented students to graduate from Harvard. After the 2016 election she set out to report on undocumented people across the country: day laborers who cleaned up after Hurricane Sandy, families in Flint during the water crisis, people taking refuge in churches, and her own parents.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Award finalist. It's angry, funny and personal, a portrait of people usually discussed only as a political issue.
You'll love it if you liked
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
Crying in H MartGood to know
It's short. Villavicencio writes about her own mental health struggles openly, and her voice is intentionally unpolished.
By the numbers
- Readers94 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics28 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller13 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz14 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
- #121 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #354 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #696 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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When Breath Becomes Air
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Quick answers
Is The Undocumented Americans worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Award finalist. It ranks #696 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Undocumented Americans about?
Karla Cornejo Villavicencio came to the United States from Ecuador as a child, grew up undocumented in Queens and became one of the first undocumented students to graduate from Harvard. After the 2016 election she set out to report on undocumented people across the country: day laborers who cleaned up after Hurricane Sandy, families in Flint during the water crisis, people taking refuge in churches, and her own parents.
How long does it take to read The Undocumented Americans?
About 5 hours (208 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Undocumented Americans?
If you liked it, try Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond or Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner.