Taking Hold: From Migrant Childhood to Columbia University

The final volume in Francisco Jiménez’s memoir cycle begins when he arrives at Columbia University for graduate school in the late 1960s. As he works toward a master’s degree and Ph.D., he navigates New York transportation, food costs, housing, and the cost of an engagement ring. He marries and begins a family while continuing his education. The account also considers his values and faith, including his commitment to nonviolence during campus anti-war protests, and his discovery of Mexican authors whose writing reflected experiences like those of his own family.