As a student of ethnic studies, learning about how categories of race came into existence is always an interesting historical excavation deeply rooted in the United State's history of xenophobia and racism. In "Inventing Latinos" Laura E Gomez pulls from history, sociology, and anthropology to understand who and what was and wasn't considered Latinx in America. Starting with the Mexican American War of the 1800s to Trump's modern day immigration policies, Gomez shows how policies and politics are a direct result of historical conflict between Latin America and the United States. Most importantly, Gomez provides context for the stereotypes of Latinx folk that we see in the media to the United State's discriminatory and violent policy both abroad and at home. A comprehensive, well researched whirlwind of a read!