Chew & Digest Books

From Every End of This Earth: 13 Families and the New Lives They Made in America
By Steven V. Roberts

Okay, everyone that either has immigrate to America themselves or has an immigrant in their family tree raise your hand. Pretty much everyone, right? Sometimes, I think that we forget that. That is understandable because often our own families story of immigration is lost to history. It isn’t tangible.

Steven Roberts makes immigration tangible by telling the story of 13 families and their  journey to America. Whether fleeing persecution, seeking business opportunities,  or for a myriad of reasons the stories are ones of dreams, heartbreak, fear, great courage and ultimately, success.  Some families have totally assimilated and some have held fast to the culture that they left behind, but no matter their choices, they have all contributed to the story of America.

Something that becomes very clear in all of the stories is that these people worked very hard to get here and continue to work hard at creating their American dream.  Did you know that immigrants represented 16.7% of all business owners and account for $67 billion in yearly income? Or that more than half of the businesses in Silicon Valley were started by them?

I am totally guilty of jumping to generalizations and stereotypes when the subject of immigration comes up. Mea culpa, this book made me see the bigger picture and it just might do the same for you.

From Every End of This Earth: 13 Families and the New Lives They Made in America
By Steven V. Roberts

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Harper (October 6, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0061245615
ISBN-13: 978-0061245619