J. P. Bone’s novel ILLEGALS is a rarity in contemporary literature - a story which boldly and vividly presents a piece of contemporary history, told through characters who cannot fail to move you with their anguish and their courage. I am reminded of Upton Sinclair and John Steinbeck, who did not hesitate to confront the most urgent issues of their day through their fiction. ILLEGALS is a political novel that touches the heart. I hope it is widely read. Howard Zinn, Historian, author of A People’s History of the United States ILLEGALS is a rare uplifting literary work. It cites chapter and verse the details of the exploitation of working people from Latin America by the corporate colossus up north. It paints a bleak picture of immigrants’ plight, yet offers inspiring hope for those who dare to work together in solidarity. Studs Terkel, Pulitzer Prize Winning author, historian
J. P. Bone has not only produced a novel worthy of reading on its literary merits, but his ILLEGALS is also an extraordinary story which captures the human drama of the everyday struggles experienced by Latino immigrants in their quest for survival and social justice. Carlos Munoz, Jr. Professor Emeritus, U. C. Berkeley
ILLEGALS is, in a way, everyone’s story. As a nation of immigrants, most of our families had to find a way, by hook or crook, to get into this country. It wasn’t always pretty. Most have forgotten how it was that we happened to be Americans in the first place. A book like this reminds us that the struggle to enjoy the ‘freedom’ promised in America is exactly just that - still a struggle, still not available to all. I encourage you to read ILLEGALS not just for its powerful commentary, but because it’s a damn good read! Michael Moore, Academy award winning director, author
J. P. Bone proves that where there is a will there is a way and that in the midst of pain, struggle, and sacrifice, no human should be ‘illegal.’ Jesse Chuy Varela
This moving and intimate story drawn from personal accounts takes you to the heart of the struggles of people fleeing Latin America. By following them with powerful empathy through burning sun, terror and courageous battles to survive, this novel should change forever the way we look at immigrants from south of the border. Bob Schildgen, Author of Hey Mr. Green! and Toyohiko Kagawa, a bigraphy of a Japanese reformer.
The first edition of ILLEGALS by J. P. Bone, was published in 1996.The author made many important revisions to ILLEGALS in 2012, and again in 2014. The new second edition includes those revisions.
