Not a Nation of Immigrants

You're not going to read this for fun. You're probably not going to read it at all, are you? You might think you already know or have a sense for what she writes about — the nonstop history of aggression and genocide by white settlers against non-white everyone in North America.

Plus: it reads like a cross between a doctoral thesis and a political tract. Dunbar-Ortiz writes well, but it's tough reading at times and not just because of the painful material. Jumpy timelines, inadequately explained references, and it really is too long for a nonacademic volume.

And yet: there is material here I did not know; and perspectives I hadn't fully considered. There might be something here for you too, enlightened as you may already be. Consider picking it up – you have my permission to skim through the sloggy parts. Four stars for importance, not enjoyment.

Roxane Dunbar-Ortiz does it again. In this book, she explores the myth of America being a “nation of immigrants” and debunks it. She does this by showing the history of America and all of the racist/xenophobic ways in which it has dealt with immigration. She does a masterful job of presenting this information. She presents the facts, with laws and direct quotes from America's past that really show how they have only ever wanted European immigrants, and have done their best to limit all other immigrants. She also discusses the ways they have dealt with Native Americans that were/are living here since before Europeans ever showed up and forcefully took their land.

All in all, Dunbar-Ortiz is incredibly knowledgeable about American history and her books really highlight that. I would recommend this book and all of her others to anyone. These should be read in schools.