Cover of Solito

Book · 2022 · Biography & Autobiography

Solito

The New York Times Bestseller

by Javier Zamora · Recommended by 1 person on 1 podcast

Why people recommend it

Solito by Javier Zamora is a memoir recounting the author's perilous and solitary migration journey as a young boy from El Salvador to the United States. Caitlin Dickerson appeared on The Ezra Klein Show on January 23, 2026, to discuss contemporary immigration politics and public policy. During the final segment of the episode, Dickerson recommended Solito as an alternative for readers seeking to understand the human reality of immigration without wading through dense policy documents or wonky analyses. She characterized the work as an incredibly beautiful story that offers deep insight into what the immigrant experience actually feels like on a personal level. By highlighting Zamora's narrative, Dickerson emphasized the value of literary storytelling in bridging empathy gaps and grounding political debates in lived human reality, making complex social issues deeply relatable to general readers.

Who recommended it

Caitlin Dickerson — 1 mention
Recommended
“I by Javier Zamora going in the complete different direction. If you want to learn more about immigration in this moment, but you don't want to read about policy, you don't want to read anything wonky. You just want to read an incredibly beautiful story that helps you understand what it's like to come to the United States to cross”