Why “American Dirt” Doesn’t Work As Moral Marker

“American Dirt”won’t have much political impact, becauseAmericans who have the capacity to be outraged about children in cageson the border already are; it’s arriving too late and isn’t compellingenough to change many minds. In the best-case scenario, it will be like“This Is Us” — popular, gratifying to some, not capable of moving anyneedles. As a novel, it’s a profoundly missed opportunity, adisplacement of attention and resources that shoul