Before I wrote down my thoughts, I wanted to let this book sit and linger in my mind for a couple of days. It was a rough book. Not rough in the "Ugh, there's such clunky academic language" sense of the word. De León is undeniably a spectacular writer; you don't need to be familiar with anthropology to understand this work. It's rough because it's just so damn heartbreaking. It's rough because I feel helpless to make it any better. It initially feels really invading and strange to read such vulnerable accounts, and De León is self-aware of that criticism. The author doesn't sugarcoat the depravity of American border policy and the lives it has cost. He argues that to do so would be to unfairly sanitize those policies and decenter the people most effected by them. He's so people-focused because the border policy in question dehumanizes border crossers in everyway it can.

At some point De León quotes Ruth Behar where she writes, "anthropology that doesn't break your heart just isn't worth doing..." and it's a quote that has stuck with me since then. I think it applies to the investigative professions in general. If your work isn't causing some sort emotional reaction — whether it be sadness or frustration — in you or your audience then maybe there's something wrong. While it's important to have raw data and a logical approach to things, humans are inherently story-minded people; let's (ethically) use that to make positive change.

Possibly one of the best ethnographies I've ever read? Is that too much praise? I think not. In terms of academic books Garcia does a good job of balancing theory vs. stories. A good ethnography proves it's point by showing not by telling you through obtuse, theoretical, academic language. Garcia undoubtedly shows us the impact of colonialism.

I simply cannot overstate how heavy and important the subject matter of this book is. We are a colonial society and to think that period of history is over and done with is bullshit. It's alive and well here in 2020, and as told in The Pastoral Clinic it is DEEPLY entwined with heroin addiction in New Mexico.

This is a very "literature" type book and frankly it bored me to death. I'm surprised I finished it to be honest. We don't ever quite get to know the characters, there's no compelling plotline. I can see why people might like this book from an artistic perspective, but as someone who just reads for entertainment this was a real snoozer.