(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- In her ambitious new memoir, Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget, beloved bestselling author Reyna Grande illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival. Grande will discuss this and more during her virtual author talk on Thursday, July 16, 2026 presented by the Ocean County Library. The event begins at 2:00pm.
With her signature blend of sophistication and raw honesty, Grande interrogates how living between two nations, two languages, and two identities has shaped the woman, mother, and writer she has become. moving from the legacy of violence in her hometown of Iguala, Mexico, to a bittersweet family vacation in Europe spent reconciling her own impoverished past with her children’s world of abundance, she uncovers startling truths about the nature of survival.
Whether being racially profiled in the Arizona borderlands or finding unexpected wisdom from the slugs in her garden, Grade unflinchingly asks: How do we bridge the gap between who we were and who we have become? how do we turn pain into power? When memory threatens to define us, how can we use story to heal while still honoring our boundaries?
Registration is required for this free program. To register, visit tinyurl.com/GrandeOCL, call 732-349-6200 or stop by your local OCL branch.
Reyna Grande is an award-winning author, motivational speaker, and writing teacher. As a young girl, she crossed the US-Mexico border to join her family in Los Angeles, a harrowing journey chronicled in The Distance Between Us, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist.
Ocean County Library cardholders can borrow Migrant Heart for free. Visit tinyurl.com/MigrantOCL, or call or stop by your local OCL branch to request a copy today.
