State Out of the Union: Arizona and the Final Showdown Over the American Dream
Reason“State Out of the Union is a genuinely interesting investigation into the stark…nativism that has driven Arizona politics recently…. Biggers capably documents the extent to which nativism permeates Arizona politics and molds its political leaders.” Three Sonorans“State Out of the Union…is the must-read book of the 2012 election to understand not just where we are today, but where we are headed in the near future using our history as a guide.” Publishers Weekly“[F]eisty….Biggers unearths some interesting Arizona history and builds a sharp…case against contradictions in the anti-immigrant position.” Kirkus Reviews“[Biggers’] extensive evidence gives the book authenticity….A timely book, especially with immigration policy playing a major role in the upcoming presidential campaign.” Publishers Weekly“Perhaps no issue captures better what it means to be American than the contentious legislative debate around who can become American. Certainly, that question will be a major part of the November election, and into the fray comes an examination of the controversial policies and practices in Arizona: State Out of the Union.” Luis Urrea, author ofThe Devil’s HighwayandThe Hummingbird’s Daughter“Jeff Biggers has the unblinking gaze of the honed journalist, a novelist’s sense of image and story, and a prophet’s cache of outrage. He stands in my very short list of American literary heroes. With his new book, Biggers shows us he can write anything—and do it well. His aim is true.”Shelf Awareness“[A]s a matter of cultural and historical record, State Out of the Union leaves readers with much to consider.”Iowa City Press-Citizen“A scathing critique of [Arizona’s] current politics and history….Biggers’ investigative research and boots-on-the ground journalism — not to mention his thorough knowledge of Arizona’s tri-cultural heritage of American Indian, Hispanic American and European American history — provide readers with an in-depth understanding of the state’s controversial past and present….His historical and political conclusions are the most damning ever published about Arizona’s short history as a state.” Shelf Awareness“[A]s a matter of cultural and historical record, State Out of the Union leaves readers with much to consider.”Library Journal“[M]ixing memoir, journalism, and history, Biggers narrates a people-focused multicultural story of clashing cycles of nativism and openness in a struggle for community recognition, citizenship rights, and humanity in what has become a militarized borderland…. [A] pivotal issue for national consideration…[a] compelling reading during a national election season and beyond.”The Progressive"[A] sweeping chronicle of Arizona."El Paso Times"As the country struggles to deal with immigration, civil rights and what it means to be an American, State Out of the Union serves as a guide to the cultural showdown that now seems inevitable."