Life Behind the Lobby Indian American Motel Owners and the American Dream [Hardcover]

Indian Americans own about half of all the motels in the United States. Even more remarkable, most of these motel owners come from the same region in India andalthough they are not all relatedseventy percent of them share the surname of Patel. Most of these motel owners arrived in the United States with few resources and, broadly speaking, they are self-employed, self-sufficient immigrants who have become successfulthey live the American dream.

However, framing this group as embodying the American dream has profound implications. It perpetuates the idea of American exceptionalismthat this nation creates opportunities for newcomers unattainable elsewhereand also downplays the inequalities of race, gender, culture, and globalization immigrants continue to face. Despite their dominance in the motel industry, Indian American moteliers are concentrated in lower- and mid-budget markets.Life Behind the Lobbyexplains Indian Americans' simultaneous accomplishments and marginalization and takes a close look at their own role in sustaining that duality.

A strength of this book is its focus on the Indian state of Gujarat, the home of the Patels, because most research on immigrants ignores regional differences. . . Recommended. For many motel owners, Dhingra says, it's more than a job. 'They talk about it in the same way as if they'd built their own carin a really sincere and emotional way,' he said, adding that when he'd walk through a motel with the owners, they would often brag about how they'd done remodeling, new wiring or put in new carpeting. 'It's not just a business to them; it's a way of life. They may not make a lot of money, but most are able to send their kids to college, provide a living and it's also seen as a property investment.' This book is necessary reading for any race, ethnicity, or immigration scholar as it provides a critical and necessary contribution to the literatureone that further reveals the subethnic, socioeconomic, anl3-