Beneath the Same Sky

by David Ramírez

Written as a series of narrative vignettes, Beneath the Same Sky by David Ramirez presents an on-the-ground and poignant point of view from author, David Ramirez, who is caught in the untenable world of U.S. border enforcement, a situation caused and exacerbated by Congress, far reaching policies, capitalism, public opinion, moral will and the unrelenting human spirit. Ramirez provides a personal perspective of growing up right on the U.S./Mexico Border. He learned the hard lessons of life as a teen in the early 1970s on the streets and exposure to the world of illicit drugs and gangs. Later in the 1980s, he would incorporate his street smarts to fight in the trenches in the war on drugs and illegal immigration. His life story shifts in 1990s when he conducted international covert investigations fighting the root causes of illegal immigration, human trafficking, and drugs to secure the US borders. At the turn of the century, Ramirez's life and experiences come full circle when he has the opportunity to address these same issues from a diplomatic and political angle in Latin America.

207 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 2012

Reviews

[Terrence Poppa · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Ramirez has written an engrossing account of the life of a Border Patrol special agent that I found hard to put down once I got into the narrative. Following the author is like going deep diving. He plunges you into the depths of the underworld of cruel and deadly people, but then you are back on the surface with him grabbing for fresh air and for reassurance that there is still a real world out there. He has a fine eye for the telling details of each world. As an agent, Ramirez made some great cases against traffickers of all stripes, yet the beat goes on. For each one taken down, another rises. The real change occurs inside the agent. Ramirez emerged from his long career all the wiser and with a wealth of unusual experiences that he shares in this book.

[Terrence Poppa · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Ramirez has written an engrossing account of the life of a Border Patrol special agent that I found hard to put down once I got into the narrative. Following the author is like going deep diving. He plunges you into the depths of the underworld of cruel and deadly people, but then you are back on the surface with him grabbing for fresh air and for reassurance that there is still a real world out there. He has a fine eye for the telling details of both worlds. As an agent, Ramirez made some great cases against traffickers of all stripes, yet the beat goes on. For each one taken down, another rises. The real change occurs inside the agent. Ramirez emerged from his long career all the wiser and with a wealth of unusual experiences that he shares in this book.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating insights and recountings of a storied career of government service. The writing is at times choppy, but the amazing tales about those who protect our borders make this book well worth the read.