'It's unprecedented': how bookstores are handling the American Dirt controversy

Independent bookstores across the US have found themselves in the crosshairs of the unabating controversy over American Dirt, with some booksellers debating how they should promote the novel, and redistribute the profits.

Jeanine Cummins’ third novel drew swift criticism following its 21 January release for its stereotypical depictions of Mexicans and inaccurate representation of undocumented immigrants in America. The large advance Cummins received raised questions about who gets to profit from telling the story of the border crisis.

Following the backlash, several US bookstores canceled appearances with the author. Among them was Left Bank Books, a local bookstore in St Louis, Missouri.

“We didn’t want to create a big mess,’ Kris Kleindienst, the owner of Left Bank, told the Guardian. However, Kleindienst didn’t want to give Cummins a spotlight without including authentic Latinx voices at the 25 January event.

There also were legitimate safety concerns, Kleindienst said. Amid the controversy, Cummins received threats. People left aggressive comments on the Facebook page of the event. (Days after Left Bank canceled its event, American Dirt’s publisher Flatiron Books canceled the rest of Cummins’ book tour, citing safety concerns).

Kleindienst said the outrage surrounding American Dirt is much larger than other controversial books the store has promoted. “This is unprecedented. It’s ripped open a festering sore in this country and made us finally have a conversation about what’s going on at the border,” Kleindienst said.

The San Francisco bookstore City Lights confirmed it was not selling American Dirt, but declined to comment further on its decision.

Green Apple Books, a local bookstore chain in San Francisco, employed a different tactic, displaying works by Latinx authors next to American Dirt. “That’s how we usually prefer to deal with a situation like this,” said Kevin Ryan, the co-owner of Green Apple. Would his store consider not selling American Dirt? “Deciding not to sell something is a big decision. One we don’t take lightly.”

Linda Sherman-Nurick, the owner of bookstore Cellar Door, in Riverside, California, opted to donate 20% of the store’s profits from American Dirt to Raices, a not-for-profit organization providing legal aid to immigrants.

“We should be making sure the right people are getting something from this book,” Sherman-Nurick told the Guardian. “Our store should not be profiting from this whole controversy.”

Kleindienst, the Left Bank Books owner, said many booksellers feel Flatiron Books should have done more to prepare bookstores for the attention and scrutiny American Dirt events were poised to receive. She hopes publishers learn a lesson and not only make smarter decisions about the books they acquire and heavily promote, but also how they support bookstores during controversy. “We are, oftentimes, expected to navigate the rockiness on our own.”