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‘Gonzalez and Daughter Trucking Co.’ a great read for anyone

During the break it can be difficult finding a good book to read when on a road trip or taking a long flight home. One book which is a good read is “Gonzalez and Daughter Trucking Co.” by Maria Amparo Escandon, a writer that visited Cal State Long Beach this past semester.

The book is about a father and daughter, and her father’s dark past that haunts them both. Joaquin Gonzalez’s past forces him to leave his homeland of Mexico. Through his escape, he becomes a truck driver, which he learned from his daughter, Libertad’s mother. Through a tragic accident Libertad’s mother dies and Joanquin must raise his daughter on his own, but he can’t obtain a regular job so he decides to start his own business through truck driving. On the road, Libertad learns a nomadic life, living through rests stops, being home schooled and having friends only through books. There are some spots where Libertad is rebellious, but fails because her father catches up with her. Her father decides that they will leave America and go to Mexico to live for good until Libertad decides to leave one more time. That is when Libertad makes her mistake and ends up in a woman’s prison in Mexico.

Libertad has no real experience being around women and tries to understand the complexities of female friendships. The one way she makes friends is through her Library Club. In prison, many prisoners tell their stories as to why they’re in prison. But Libertad has a hard time explaining the reason and the only way she can tell her story is through the Library Club. Through this club, she’s able to tell her story. Through her stories, she’s able to make a few friends, including a woman, Maciza who watches out for her. Maciza is a tough woman with a past that is different from Libertad’s, but because they are so different, they become the best of friends.

At the end of the book readers will develop a better understanding of the trucking culture, the bonds of fathers and daughters, and the mistakes that fathers make when raising daughters on their own. Also, readers can gain a better understanding of women’s prisons, and especially prisons in Mexico. This book also makes a great read because the author weaves several stories into one book. Not only do we see Libertad’s story but we also see others who can’t express themselves.

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