Chapter Summaries
Translation Nation – Hector Tobar

1. In chapter one, Americanismo – City of Peasants, Hector Tobar first introduces the idea of Americanismo: immigrants have cultural dual citizenship in physical living in America and keeping their cultural identity alive in the home. The people who form a nation, like America, have an integrated identity composed of their cultural origin. 2. In chapter 2, Where Green Chiles Roam – No es imposibl, Tobar depicts the dichotomy of illegal immigration at the border, one side with the fantasy of life across the border and the other side, the reality of living in America. This highlights that living conditions and perspective are truly a function of perspective. 3. In chapter 3, Brother Citizen, Brother Alien – Sin fronteras, Tobar portrays a specific encounter he had with two brothers that are separated by citizenship, cultural and national. 4. In chapter 4, The Wanderers – El destierro, Tobar depicts the lives of immigrants, the channels through which they cross and life after crossing the border. It is one depicted of wandering travel and job seeking. 5. In chapter 5, In the Land of the New – En la tierra de lo nuevo, Tobar illustrates fantasy, of those who immigrate, meeting reality through brokenness in the education system. 6. In chapter 6, Our Secret Latin Heartlands – Los secretos del machete, Tobar depicts the phenomenon of immigrants who reject their Mexican cultural identity for the desperate hope of being integrated into “American culture”. Tobar brings reason and sheds light upon how damaging that can be and depicts how powerful and positively impactful it can be for Mexicans to embrace their culture through his fried Ben Reed. 7. In chapter 7, Unconquered – La Reconquista, Tobar depicts how beautiful Mexican culture can be through historically influential leaders in San Antonio. He depicts the commitment required to be all in. 8. In chapter 8, The Old Men and the Boy – Los Balseros, Tobar depicts the story of how Mayor Carollo of Miami was faced with an inherently imperfect system and thus, blinded by his patriotic sense of duty and obligation to his cultural origin. Despite his intentions, this led him to corruption and distortion of the law. 9. In chapter 9, Fathers, Daughters, Citizens and Strongwomen – El hambre y el orgullo, Tobar portrays the backlash personal repercussions taking an unpopular stand against injustice can yield. It highlights the idea that a Mexican American cultural community should not be taken to an extreme where it is prioritized over what is just and moral. 10. In the chapter 10, Una Nacion Unida – Heroes of Another Fatherland, Tobar illustrates the precarious balance between clinging to Mexican American culture and assimilating into American culture and how a middle ground should be the way a culture translates into a new Nation.