Andrew Selee's Vanishing Frontiers discusses the relationship between the United States and Mexico and how the two countries have drawn closer in a time when the building of walls is talked about. Selee has a direct perspective on this, as he is an American who has spent much of the last twenty years living in
Mexico.
From businesses (the bread you
eat may be from a Mexican-based company) to entertainment to food, Mexico has
become a stronger influence and economic force in American life over the past
50 years. Bridges were literally built to draw two border cities together while
in another set of border cities, there is significant cooperation around law
enforcement. Vanishing Frontiers talks about the impacts of American
investment (and Mexican immigrants sending cash back south of the border) in
improving the quality of life in Mexico, as well as how Americans of
Mexican ancestry have returned to Mexico to start businesses, raise
families, or retire due to a lower cost of living compared to here in America.
Vanishing Frontiers reads in
large part like an advertisement for continuing to draw closer to Mexico. While
the book goes to significant lengths to discuss the steps the two countries are taking to address problems of corruption and drug-related
violence that plague Mexico, the book also stresses the many positives of what is
going on in Mexico that we do not hear about from journalists. In an era when we tend to focus way too
often on negative news coverage or shouting matches of pundits on television,
it’s refreshing to read a reasonable discussion on the economic, political, and
societal relationship between the United States and Mexico.
MY RATING - 4
