Citizen of the World: A Memoir

by Ernesto Flores, Lynda Jones

From a troubled youth to one of Mazatlán’s surfing legends—this memoir tells the riveting story of one boy’s perseverance and determination during his rocky journey to become a man and claim his place as a citizen of the world.

Neto Flores is only five years old when he is expelled from kindergarten and sent to a military school. By age ten, he is back home, selling peanuts on the beaches of Mazatlán, Mexico. But Neto dreams of something more. Something better. By age thirteen, Neto has found his lifelong passion: surfing the wild waves. But the surf culture of the 1960s and 70s isn’t all sun and sea. It’s a culture soaked in drugs and, for young, adventurous Mexicans like Neto, illegal crossings into America in search of opportunity.

Neto works hard, but he’s divided between two worlds. Can he escape his demons to become the person he wants to be? He leans on his “better angels,” but sometimes those angels find him in jail. As Neto struggles to find the place he belongs, his family and heritage guide him home. Citizen of the World shows a culture with deep-rooted values, which are both difficult and joyful. A culture shaped by poverty, humor, music, beautiful weather, and most of all, people like Neto, who are courageous, hard-working, resourceful, and resilient.

213 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 21, 2021

Reviews

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written memoir of a Mazatlán man, who raises himself from childhood on, apart from and within a large family filled with paternal love and maternal rejection, to become a local celebrity surfer, a charmer of women, a hard-working laborer and boatman, a border hustler and drug dealer. Set along the west coast of Mexico and the western USA, Ernesto Flores, with the partnership of co-author Lynda Jones, confesses memories and reveals stories about those people whose lives he affected, for better or worse, and about those who impacted his own life’s trajectory. Well executed and fast paced chapters reveal one incredible adventure after another. If you wish to immerse yourself in the revealed life of one man who embraced his own destiny above all else, look no further than this memoir.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Citizen of the World is Ernesto Flores' memories of growing up in Mexico during the 60s. He travels through Mexico and the US, looking for work and adventure along the way. The book appeals to a sense of adventure for me.

I learned some stuff from reading this book. It would be interesting to meet Neto in person. I recommend the book, especially to people who love the ocean.

[Penny Hinckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book “A Citizen of the World” is the story of Ernesto Flores, a five year old who got kicked out of kindergarten on the first day of school. The book follows him and his dreams,ambitions, and adventures (some good, some bad) to the middle aged man he becomes. His love of the ocean and surfing shaped many of his decisions. The joys and heartaches of his life are touching and bring the reader to a clearer understanding of the factors that result in both happiness and pain as he moves into manhood.

The book abounds with a wealth of characters that play a role in Ernesto’s life. Each character is well developed and you can easily feel a bond with them and the part they play in the story. Family and friends are important and they have both a positive and negative influence on him as he grows. The description of the locations in both Mexico and the United States provide more insight to the story and events as they evolve. You feel yourself on the beach, the border and the curving highways and Ernesto is always close by. It is a hard book to put down.

The book is for adult readers. I felt I learned about the cultural influences and the mores of that period of time. While not familiar with surfing as a sport I was able to become engrossed in the enthusiasm of Ernest and his love of the sport. I enjoyed the book and the look back into that time and what was happening in a part of the world I wanted to know more about.

[Betsy Cabell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Citizen of the World is like sitting across the table from Ernesto and listening as he shares memories of his early life with all its ups and downs, humorous and tragic events, good deeds and poor decisions. I am confident you will enjoy your visit with him. Starting off with the decision to send him to a military reform school as a 5 year old which was certainly a pivotal event, many of his life’s events had both positive and negative impacts on his later life. Learning to surf in Mazatlan was also a key positive event in his life but came with a party atmosphere and easy access to drugs. In spite of that, he became one of the first surfers in Mazatlan in the 1970’s and has maintained a reputation throughout his life as one of the best surfers in Mexico. The book develops insights into what lead him to head north and cross the border into the United States illegally for the first time as a 14 year old. Many of his relatives and friends were doing the same thing for better opportunities at that time when the border was quite porous. Throughout his life, Ernesto wanted to help others and be a good person and make his father proud of him but often found himself in situations where in spite of good intentions and many talents, things went badly. By the end of the book, you will find that he has come to terms with the highs and lows of his life, clarified in his closing statement: “I wrote this book because I have a story to tell. A message that good people can do bad things. And that bad people can change. Redemption is possible … There are angels who guide us if we listen to them. And listen to them, we must.”

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Story!

Wow! Neto did not have it easy but he sure sounds like a great guy. I love that he had so much faith in himself.

[Donna Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynda Jones paints a vivid portrait of Ernesto Flores in her recent book, Citizen of the World. Throughout the book, 'Neto' remains optimistic and adventuresome even during the tragic and troublesome times in his life. Deported a number of times from the United States after entering California illegally, he still dreams of home in Mazatlan and always, riding the gigantic ocean waves as a surfer. He considers surfing an art akin to “flying across the waves”.
Drug use leads to his selling dangerous drugs, such as heroin, to support his habit, but selling also leads to his arrest and imprisonment. Neto is a charming rogue throughout his multifaceted story told beautifully by Lynda Jones. I would recommend her book to anyone who is interested in reading about a spirited man with a storied past who yearns to become a "good person.”

[Kay Kiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Citizen of the World is an easy and quick read full of adventure and heartache. Ernesto Flores is from Mazatlan, Mexico but his life experiences qualify him as a citizen of the world. From a very young age Ernesto was full of energy and mischief. At age four he threw a bicycle spoke that pierced his mother's eye and blinded her for life. She never forgave him. At age five he was sent to military school until his father took him out at age nine. His father understood him and was always a positive influence in his life. The ocean and surfing became both the positive and negative influences of his young life. Life at home with his mother had become intolerable. The water and the waves gave him a sense of peace and power. The tourists on the beach that admired his skill as a surfer also introduced Neto and his friends to drugs from the US. For several years it was only marijuana but eventually Neto started using the hard drugs. At age fourteen he made his first illegal border crossing into the United States. The rest of Neto's story has chapters of love and happiness and chapters of heartache and disappointment from his spiraling descent into drug using and dealing. Eventually he is deported back to Mexico, never again allowed to legally come to the United States.

Neto is now a man living in Mazatlan, Mexico who has made peace with his past. His passion is still the ocean and his focus is on being a man worthy of his father's good name.

This book is for adult reading. It's for people who enjoy adventure but also for those who are capable of compassion and forgiveness. We are all products of our formative years. Good people do bad things. Ernesto is now able able to reap the rewards of God's beautiful creation at the place where his story began without the burden of being on the run. He is committed to enjoying life and being a good man.

[Cathy Lines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Citizen of the World showcases one man’s life in 37 action-packed chapters, identified by year and place and important relationship. Neto’s adventures alternate between Mexico and the United States. He succeeds at most everything he attempts: school, soccer, surfing, mechanics, caretaking, printing, baking, border crossing, friendships, languages and yes, drug dealing. A continuous strand of fatherly care and sensitive self-reflection guide him though jail, addiction, loss, and love. He is a risk-taker. Humanness and “sinners and saints” themes prevail throughout the pages.

Neto tells his story honestly, openly inviting the reader to join him on his life journey. Descriptive scenes provide colorful context. Characters interact emotionally, offering insight into Neto’s personality and life choices. "Letter to My Sons", "Papi", and the "Epilogue" create poignant understanding of the boy and the man. Sometimes I wanted to cry, sometimes to laugh, sometimes to scream, sometimes to run; but I always felt that I was living life with Neto. The energy and pace are contagious.

This book is for readers who enjoy learning and specifically learning about Mexico, surfing, immigration and the drug world. They will turn the pages quickly, engaging in tale after tale. This book engages, keeping one guessing about what will happen and what might have been, enticing those who like suspense. Universal human dilemmas acutely play out, tugging at readers to decide which path they might have chosen at any number of crossroads. Readers will ponder life’s challenges, gifts, and questions.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I loved this book. I highly recommend it. I wrote it, along with Ernesto (Neto) Flores.

Neto started surfing at age thirteen, one of a small pack of boys known as the Olas Altas crew, who discovered this new sport introduced by tourists from California. Neto is still surfing today, nearly fifty years later.

Neto has led a fascinating life. I was privileged to tell his story.

[MaryEllen Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by my cousin Lynda. Read in one day because didn't want to put it down. An immigration story like no other, makes my life seem so easy. A story about perseverance, drugs, Mexico, surfing, angels and an incredibly strong person! Would love to someday meet Ernesto.

[Dita Basu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it. The character of the young boy who couldn’t sit still in the kindergarten class and was sent to military school just grabbed me and I finished the whole book in one day. Lovely world building and humorous tone with vivid details of emotions made it a beautiful book.