The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez
By Aaron Bobrow-Strain
A Border Story. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019.
Summary of The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez book by Aaron Bobrow-Strain
The harrowing story of a young undocumented Mexican woman living in the United States. Read about the struggles and hardships she faced in her personal life as well as her battle with the U.S. immigration system, and learn about the social history of U.S. border enforcement.
Chapters in The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez book summary
What do you get from this book? Learn how the agonizing U.S. immigration laws affected one brave young Mexican-American woman
Aida Hernandez spent her first eight years in Mexico, but unfortunate circumstances brought her and her sisters to the United States
Life in the U.S. was difficult and was compounded by new federal immigration policies
Luz left Saul for a while and took the family back to Mexico, but it wasn’t long before she was back in the same situation
Luz moved the family back to Douglas to get away from Saul for good, but Aida’s destructive choices continued
After David turned abusive Aida took their son and left, trying to make it on her own despite chaos in Douglas
After being deported to Mexico because of a fight, Aida tried to get back into the U.S. but finally decided to stay in Mexico
Aida’s new job at a bar near the border led to an attempted rape—she was nearly killed
Following her recovery, Aida spiraled into a very dark place and lived in constant fear
With help from family and friends, Aida began to make progress in overcoming her fears and PTSD
Aida was arrested for shoplifting, and was detained and taken to an immigration prison
After months in prison and several hearings, Aida was finally released and allowed to stay in the U.S.
Aida reconnected with Ema, came out as bisexual, and moved to New York to marry her
Aida and Ema attempted to save their marriage, but failed; Ema was arrested, and Aida was left to make it on her own
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
Unlock all 17 chapters of The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez — Get full access to this book summary and thousands more on Lobab.
The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez book
- History and anthropology students
- policy makers
- migrants in any country
- human rights activists
- anyone curious about the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico
About the author of The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez
Aaron Bobrow-Strain
Aaron Bobrow-Strain is an educator and an activist. In the 1990s he worked at the U.S.-Mexico border, and helped found the Walla Walla Immigrant Rights Coalition in Washington State. He works at Whitman College where he holds the positions of Professor and Baker Ferguson Chair of Politics and Leadership. He teaches on food, immigration, and the U.S.-Mexico border.
Books similar to The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez
Related books that explore themes found in The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal. Atria Paperback, 2016.
Charles Fishman
The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. William Morrow, 2016.
Topics related to The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez book
Explore topics that share themes with The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez across Lobab's library
Categories The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez book belongs to
Discover other book summaries in the same categories as The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez
If you liked The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez, you might also enjoy
Books on different topics that Lobab readers often explore alongside The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez
David Grann
The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. Vintage Books, 2017.
Isabel Allende
On Impatient Love, Long Life, and Good Witches. Ballantine Books, 2021.
Anita Anand
A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge, and India's Quest for Independence. Scribner, 2019.
Charles Fishman
The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. William Morrow, 2016.
Richard Thompson Ford
How the Laws of Fashion Made History. Simon & Schuster, 2021.
Daron Acemoglu
The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Currency, 2012.
Kurt Andersen
The Unmaking of America – A Recent History. Ebury Press, 2020.
Kavitha A. Davidson
Dilemmas of the Modern Fan. University of Texas Press, 2020.
Greg Grandin
From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America. Metropolitan Books, 2019.
Can't decide where to start?
With thousands of book summaries across multiple categories and topics, there's always something new to discover. Browse the full library to find your next great read.
Your library
All-you-can-read
Categories
15 categories
Topics
120+ topics
Today's free book summary
Every day, one book summary is completely free to read. Subscribe to unlock the entire library — or just enjoy today's pick on us.
Games People Play
Eric Berne
A psychoanalytical analysis of the relationships between people with an emphasis on spouses, parents, and children, and the manipulative “games” they play to get what they really want.
Library
All-you-can-read
Formats
Text & audio
Free daily
1 book / day
What Lobab readers are saying
Not sure if Lobab book summaries are for you? Here's what our community thinks.
“Lobab is a standout in the world of book summary apps, offering concise, insightful summaries of a wide range of books. Its user-friendly interface and well-crafted summaries allow users to quickly grasp the essence of complex works, making it an invaluable tool for those looking to learn more in less time. Whether for personal growth or professional development, Lobab is a game changer for anyone wanting to expand their knowledge efficiently. Highly recommended!”
Ramogh
Lobab Reader
“Top quality app with plenty of brilliant summaries!”
Benjamin Roche
Lobab Reader
“I found a really great book app that has made reading even more enjoyable ⭐️📚. It is super easy to use, has a lot of books to choose from, gives personalized recommendations, works well with e-readers, has an active community, and is accessible to everyone. I highly recommend it to all book enthusiasts!”
Nedal Ahmed
Lobab Reader