Hombres de ladrillo / The Brick People (Spanish Edition)

By Alejandro Morales

Joseph and Walter Simons are entrepreneurs who launch the Simons Brick Factory in Southern California in the 19th century. With the help of a Mexican who teaches them to make bricks, the brothers build their lives on the backs of the Mexicans who work for them. In this historical novel, the brothers are pitted against their workers. Fearful of the unrest from the Mexican Revolution, the patrones strive to fulfill their workers' needs. By 1926 the brick factory is one of the most successful businesses of its kind and a perfect example of the exploitation of Mexican labor. As their business and families grow, Anglos and Mexicans learn about the rise of unions to protect workers' rights. It's only a matter of time before even the Simons workers seek better wages and benefits. Blending historical reality with myth and legend, Morales recounts the struggle of a people to forge their destiny in this first-ever Spanish translation of his acclaimed novel, The Brick People.