I have been a fan of T.C. Boyle for many years and have read several of his novels and short story collections. For the most part, I have enjoyed them all and really feel that Boyle is a masterful writer and storyteller. TORTILLA CURTAIN is a book that I've had on my shelves for several years and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. It tells the story of what happens when two different cultures collide in the Topanga Canyon of Southern California. Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher are a liberal couple living in a gated community in the hills of the canyon while Candido and America Rincon are illegals living in a makeshift camp in the ravine striving to stay alive. The novel starts out with Delaney accidentally hitting Candido with his car and badly injuring him as he is walking along the canyon road. Candido does not want medical assistance in fear of being deported. So Delaney gives him 20 bucks and doesn't report the accident. This all leads to a change in attitude for Delaney who once believed in rights for all, but the illegals living in the canyon upset him with their littering and disregard to the nature Delaney is so fond of and he is led to believe that Candido allowed himself to be hit by his car in order to receive some kind of monetary claim. The book details the life of both the illegals and their struggles and the life of the the California family living their dream with the wife being a successful realtor and the husband being a writer for a nature magazine. All of this eventually leads to misunderstanding and tragedy.
This definitely was not a happy story. Nothing good ever happens especially to Candido and America. Candido tries to find work but his injury results in America also hoping to find some kind of job. They try to save their money to rent some kind of apartment but tragedy seems to follow them. Although this was overall a very sad and depressing story, I would still rank it as one of Boyle's best. It is so relatable to the border crisis of today even though it was published in 1995. Things have definitely gotten worse since then with no solution in sight. And if Trump gets reelected, I don't foresee anything good happening with future immigration policy.
This definitely was not a happy story. Nothing good ever happens especially to Candido and America. Candido tries to find work but his injury results in America also hoping to find some kind of job. They try to save their money to rent some kind of apartment but tragedy seems to follow them. Although this was overall a very sad and depressing story, I would still rank it as one of Boyle's best. It is so relatable to the border crisis of today even though it was published in 1995. Things have definitely gotten worse since then with no solution in sight. And if Trump gets reelected, I don't foresee anything good happening with future immigration policy.
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