[ Ramona Fischer, Mario Barth, Ingo Kruse & Norman Wirsik ] The story deals with illegal immigration and racism. The book basically tells two stories. One storyline is around Delaney a journalist for a nature magazine who lives together with his second wife Kyra, a successful real estate salesman and her six-year-old son Jordan. They own a house in Arroyo Blanco, a neighbourhood close to Los Angeles.

The story deals with illegal immigration and racism. The book basically tells two stories. One The other storyline is around Cándido Rincón and his pregnant seventeen-year-old wife América. They crossed the border illegally wanting to reach the American standard of living in the North but have to realize that they are not able to reach that goal.

The book starts with a car accident. After that the fates of Cándido and Delaney are somehow related. The Rincón’s life is determined by one setback after the other until their whole life becomes a struggle for survival. In the course of the story some negative events with Mexicans turn Delaney form a liberal humanist into a Mexican hater. The books ends with a final, violent encounter between Delaney and Cándido.

We like this book, because of its actual theme, the interesting story and its plausible characters. The book gives some insights in American lives, their beliefs and their attitude towards Latinos. Tortilla Curtain can also be understood as a critic of American society and its superficial liberal, humanistic ideals and is therefore worth reading.