“A gripping memoir…
Solito is special for many reasons, but the main one is Zamora’s voice and the energy of his vivid retelling of his journey . . . And that makes it required reading.”
—Gabino Iglesias, NPR“Zamora . . . recounts in absorbing detail the dangerous, weekslong journey he took from El Salvador to reunite with his parents in the United States when he was just 9.”
—The New York Times“The magic of this book lies not only in the beguiling voice of young Javier, or the harrowing journey and immense bravery of the migrants, or in the built-in hero’s journey of this narrative. It’s hard to reconcile the fact that this book hasn’t always been with us. How can something so essential and fundamental to the American story not already be part of our canon?”—
San Francisco Chronicle“An important, beautiful work.”
—The New York Times Book Review“Zamora’s [
Solito] is a distinctly American memoir, and he tells a distinctly American story.”
—The Nation“A monumental accomplishment.”
—Oprah Daily“Crafted with stunning intimacy . . . you’ll feel so close to the boy [Zamora] was then that you’ll think about him long after the book is done. It’s impossible not to feel both immersed in and changed by this extraordinary book.”
—Los Angeles Times“
Solito is a stone-cold masterpiece, an absolute masterpiece. I know I used that word twice. That’s how you know I mean it.”
—Emma Straub“A riveting tale of perseverance and the lengths humans will go to help each other in times of struggle. With [
Solito], Javier Zamora arrives to the forefront of essential American voices.”
—Dave Eggers
“What Javier Zamora has accomplished in
Solito feels miraculous. This is a pitch-perfect recapturing of the voice, consciousness, and emotions of [Zamora’s] nine-year-old self.”
—Francisco Goldman
“An instant classic. . . Javier Zamora has elevated the ‘child migrant story’ to new literary heights.”
—Jose Antonio Vargas “A new landmark in the literature of migration, and in nonfiction writ large.”
—Francisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River“In luminous prose . . . with tenderness and searing honesty Zamora writes, for the first time, a Salvadoran account of what it takes to reach the border, cross it on foot, and survive. I cannot recommend this book enough, nor overstate its accomplishment.”
—Carolyn Forche “
Solito is a revelation.”
—Daniel Alarcón
“[A] beautifully wrought work that renders the migrant experience into a vivid, immediately accessible portrayal.”
—Kirkus Review (starred review)“A stirring portrait of the power of human connection . . . an immensely moving story.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Man, what a brave and brilliant memoir. It’s hard to imagine what Javiercito endured in his quest to be reunited with his parents, not to mention the mental and physical journey north to La USA. I’ll be putting this in readers’ hands for a long time. Essential.”
