'American Dirt' Latino backlash part of long publishing war “American Dirt,” a novel about migrants from Mexico and cartel violence, continues to draw criticism from some Latino writers and activistsDuring a trip to Mexico to visit family, writer Myriam Gurba took “American Dirt,” a novel about immigration and cartel violence that was being touted as one of the biggest U.S. releases of 2020. Her scathing review of “American Dirt,” in which she accuses Cummins of appropriating works by Latinos, went viral. Some Latino celebrities posted selfies with the book; Mexican-born actress Salma Hayek later apologized for promoting “American Dirt” without having read it after she was attacked on social media. Latino critics say ``American Dirt'' contains stereotypes, incorrect regional slang, and cultural inaccuracies. Tony Diaz, a Mexican American novelist in Houston, is organizing a protest outside the Blue Willow Bookshop, which is hosting Cummins on Monday.

Source: ABC News January 28, 2020 18:33 UTC