Mexican immigration to the US is an issue as old and complicated as the countries themselves. Lured by the promise of prosperity, millions of Mexicans leave behind parents, siblings, and even children to attempt dangerous and illegal border crossings. Statistics, however, cannot convey the intimate consequences of this fact. Those Who Remain underscores the everyday impact of migration by focusing on the poignant personal stories of contemporary Mexicans whose family members have crossed, or are about to cross, to “the other side.” Beautifully drawn portraits capture the emotional nuances of the issue. The wife of a seemingly financially secure farmer expresses anger and disappointment that her husband is leaving their family, yet again, to work in the US. Most telling is that her protestations are deemed unusual by her friends. In this culture, absence and loss are par for the course. Shannon Abel.

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