Originally published in Spanish as … y no se lo tragó la tierra,… And the Earth Did Not Devour Him is a seminal work of Chicano literature and one of the first books in the emerging literature of Mexican Americans. Its success made author Tomás Rivera a leading figure in this genre. Written in 1967 and 1968, the book was awarded the premiere Quinto Sol Prize for literature in 1970…. Y no se lo tragó la tierra was first published in 1971 in a bilingual edition, with an English translation by Herminio Ríos. A later translation by Evangelina Vigil-Piñón, first published in 1988, is considered the definitive English version.
From its first publication,… And the Earth Did Not Devour Him has been praised by critics for its depiction of the harsh life of migrant agricultural workers in the United States, its sense of realism that had previously not been a part of Chicano literature, and its innovative literary form. Rivera was himself the son of migrant workers and a migrant worker himself until he completed junior college. Drawing on his background and own experiences, he explores many aspects of this lifestyle and how it affects those directly involved.
Set after World War II, from about 1945 to 1955, the stories and vignettes that make up … And the Earth Did Not Devour Him show the racism and discrimination Chicano migrant workers encountered, even among their peers. Rivera explores the effects of economic and social injustice. While there is much suffering and uncertainty in many of the stories, Rivera also emphasizes the resilience and determination of the migrant workers. Religion and faith play important roles in their lives as do family and community. In addition, Rivera underscores the importance of education as a means of liberation for farm workers and their children. Several stories in the book are specifically about education, unsurprising considering the author's primary career was working at various universities as an instructor, professor, and administrator.
Critics agree about the strength of the stories Rivera tells in … And the Earth Did Not Devour Him. In Book Report, Sherry York claims "while [the stories] seem simple, they are powerful tales that portray a dignity in the face of adversity." However, there is critical division over whether the book is a collection of related short stories or a novel. The stories are tied together by a young male narrator who is trying to understand who he is and remember things he does not necessarily completely understand, culminating in the last story of the book, "Under the House." Many of the stories are subjective, involve characters that change from story to story, and lack a definite chronology. A number of them function as anecdotal glimpses into opinions, mentalities, and lives of migrant workers and their families while revealing deeper concerns.
Whether … And the Earth Did Not Devour Him is a collection of short stories or a novel, most critics believe it reveals the realities of Chicano social history. Some of them see it as political, but Luis Leal, writing in Dictionary of Literary Biography, believes, "Rivera transcended the political. He had a deep sympathy and respect for humanity, especially for the migrant workers from whom he drew his inspiration to write and work building a better society in the Americas."
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