THE LATINA BOOK CLUB

The taste of you remains Clinging to paradise But as the distance from you grows All that my heart ever knows Hunger for your kiss Longing for your touch Beautiful Maria of my soul --Lyrics, Beautiful Maria of My Soul Song by Los Lobos THE MAMBO KINGS PLAY SONGS OF LOVE By Oscar Hijuelos (1989) Farrar Straus Giroux Winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize in Literature We loved the book, the movie and the sequel !!! SUMMARY:   It's 1949 and two young Cuban musicians make their way from Havana to the grand stage of New York City. It is the era of mambo, and the Castillo brothers, workers by day, become stars of the dance halls by night, where their orchestra plays the lush, sensuous, pulsing music that earns them the title of the Mambo Kings. This is their moment of youth, exuberance, love, and freedom―a golden time that decades later is remembered with nostalgia and deep affection. Hijuelos's marvelous portrait of the Castillo brothers, their families,...

   The Latina Book Club continues its Celebration of Cuba with a list of Famous Cuban Americans.  We were surprised at how many we could name off the top of our heads, and equally surprised by those we didn’t.  There are actors, fashion designers, sports figures, politicians and many more.  How many of these Famous Cubanos do you know? FAMOUS CUBANOS 1.     1.   Desi Arnaz – actor, producer, singer, band leader 2.     Jeff Bezos – founder of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post 3.     Richard Blanco – inaugural poet 4.     Jose Canseco – Major League Baseball player 5.     Celia Cruz – actress and multiple Grammy winning singer 6.     Ted Cruz – Texas Senator who had his eyes on the White House 7.     Sammy Davis Jr. – actor, singer 8.     Rosario Dawson – Hollywood starlet 9.     René Ech...