Hombres de ladrillo. (The Brick People)

This is the story of the workers of the Simons brick factories in California at the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. The vast majority of the workers are Mexican, and the owners of the factory, the Simons family, are American. The novel analyzes the relationship between owners and workers and sheds light on the concept of labor back then. Even though the workers' salaries are barely enough to survive on, the Simons family makes sure that the basic needs of the workers are met. They build a school, a doctor's office, and a library, and they have education programs for the inhabitants of Simons city. However, workers must buy all of their belongings at the Simons' stores, they work long hours, and they are not allowed to buy horses. When Malaquías breaks the rule against buying horses, he and his family are fired. He has some success for a while as a farmer, but he has to run away from people seizing his land because he is Mexican and ends up back in the Simons factory. There is almost no opportunity for economic growth outside of the factory, but the workers' conditions are better than in most factories. The narrator's language is simple and direct, and the different stories are interesting. However, the narrative is very descriptive and so the pace. Recommended for libraries with historical fiction collections and with a focus in Latino literature.—María Elena Cruz, Boston