In a collection of 15 essays about heroes, Lopez presents profiles of Hispanics with an emphasis on Americans of Mexican ancestry who have impacted history on both sides of the border.

"Everyone knows Marcus Stroman as a baseball player. He loves the sport, and yes, he probably has a shot at the pros. But 'baseball player' doesn’t totally define him. Why won’t anyone also see him as a basketball player or a musician? While he loves being known for what he does well, he’s struggling because people are trying to limit him to just one thing. Literally how high up a mountain does Marcus need to climb to be completely free of what...